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Liked It “Outstanding. Recommended by David Sedaris.” see full review » see other reviews » |
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“crap.”
michelle d wrote this review Saturday, October 10 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“Outstanding. Recommended by David Sedaris.”
Jazzarina wrote this review Friday, September 11 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“This book was written by a journalist following several families in the Bronx projects of New York City. It is eye opening, captivating and will change your perspective of the affects of poverty forever. ”
Jennifer H wrote this review Sunday, September 6 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Amazing. Heartbreaking.”
Alexsis R wrote this review Friday, September 4 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“meaty. ”
emma k wrote this review Tuesday, August 18 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“When I first began reading this work of nonfiction, I was overwhelmed by the tragic existence of these young people and wasn't sure if I could keep reading. Then, I became so enveloped in their lives and needed to continue to read their stories. I was rooting for Jessica, Coco and even Cesar. They, among others, were born into a cycle of drugs, teen pregnancies, abuse, poverty and prison life. Their struggles seem insurmountable, yet they keep on keeping on. After reading this beautiful work of prose, I am thankful for LeBlanc's conviction and brilliant writing in which she so eloquently shared their stories. I only hope more people will read this and other books like this one, and realize the young people depicted are only victims of circumstance and quite heroic in their daily challenges. ”
Ms. Conn wrote this review Thursday, August 13 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Fascinating book about the effects of family dysfunction.”
Sheila G wrote this review Sunday, August 9 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“This book is a must read for anyone who works with impoverished people. It will fill you with empathy and compassion for these people as well as anger at the fact people live like this in a country as powerful and wealthy and the United States. This book shows a family's true story and how they do everything in their power to battle the cycle of poverty. At some points, you will be frustrated and find yourself praying that they will manage to get out of this vicious cycle, only to understand at the end of the book why escape may not be possible.”
Ginny W wrote this review Friday, August 7 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“Excellent Book!”
Nicole G wrote this review Wednesday, July 15 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Random family is a book about an "expanding" Puerto Rican family living in the Bronx. This book is a true story based on the life of the "ghetto" years ago. The story has sad reoccuring themes of what life can be like when your raised among drugs, sex, and violence. Throughout the book almost all of the chracters have one or more kids before the age of sixteen. Then their lives compeltely go downhill as they become homeless, take on drugs, violence, prison, and any other types of abuse. The cycle of leaving this stressful life continues on as teens have kids who then also have kids as teens and become wrapped up in drugs which later leads to death or prison. Very few get a second chance as they realise the consequences of their actions. Most of the characters in the book don't even graduate middleschool yet they can recieve a better education when they are forced to in jail. Another said truth is that most of the females in the book have been sexually abused (even at the tender age of two) and nothing much was done about it excapt that it continued to happen. One young female named Coco, had two children by her first love (Cesar who remained in jail), and three others by three different men. She never graduated middleschool, could not control her children(who fought and the youngest had to be kept on a oxygen tank), and slept on one matress and couch with her kids (trying to escape the crawling insects and rats in her home). Imagine that this is only one chracter in the book, but her life was like so many other girls and the sad truths of life in the "Ghetto" was extremly devastating. ”
KAYLA W wrote this review Thursday, May 7 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
