SUMMARY

Always running is a self biography by a man named Luis Rodriguez. He starts the story with a more recent life event, which is of his son running away from home after a argument ensues between the two. In this part of the book is were the story gets its name because like his son running away he too also ran in his younger years. Away from the good to the bad and back out the other way. He finds himself right back were he started in east L.A. , right back in the gangs, and right back into trouble when he looks at his son's action. The book then goes into his past. All the way back to when he was a young boy living with his parents in a very poor neighborhood in the Watts area of L.A. It goes through stories that start his life's downfall into crime and trouble. Toward the middle of the book it gets into his life as a teenager and his life in the earlier gang life when violence was only fights. Then how it developed into murders and turf wars. As the book goes on it goes into the favor of him trying hard to get out of the trouble he is in. He joins all these school activities just so he can get over gangbanger. In this part of the book it also goes through the life that he lived catching up to him. Toward the end of this outstanding novel it goes into how he is still struggling but he wants to make a diffrence in his life so that his children wont live the same way he did. He talks about how he wishes he could do better for his son and for everyone in his family. IT talks about his current life as a writer and what he had to do to get to this point were he is and it also talks about the book and how he wishes that some kid that is like him reads it and turns away from the life of gangbanging. There is more to the ending then this but you will just have to read the book to understand what the meaning of this story really is and how even if you arnt a gangbanger it still can give you life lessons.

How I Can Relate

As many know, gang life doesn't just affect the person it affects the people around you as well. I had a childhood friend that I used to spend my time with. We were best buds, but I moved away. When I came back, he was a complete different kid. He had joined a gang, he was very intense always defensive. He changed drastically and it was sad how one can be your friend and change in a short period of time. I have not seen since 2006, but the way his life was heading im not sure if he is alive or not.

Gang Life

The book describes being a gang member as harsh enviroment not ment for the weak. I believe that becoming a gang member is pubnishment in itself. In order to become a member they make you take a beating or rape you. Gang members try to take away your dignity and force you to think that you are nothing without your gang. Gang life opens doors into other kinds of things like drugs, becoming a criminal, having arms, and fighting. These things all come with becoming a gang member. The road into becoming a gang member is harsh and is something that to many looks like a terrible ordeal. Some communities are being destroyed by gangs. Some already are overrunned by them.

The Title

At first when I looked at the book cover, it showed a man's back who was covered in a tattoo of the virgin mary. The man looked hispanic, and the tattoo also gives a hint to the audience that he is hispanic. The book cover is very gritty looking and gives an intense atmosphere. The title of the book "Always Running", signifies how he compares himself to his son how he always ran away from his problems. Luis Rodriguez suggests in the beginning that his life as a teenager has revolved around him and even reached his son, who shows signs of being a gang member.

Always Running

These past few days, I've currently been reading a documentary called "Always Running", which is written by a former gang member Luis Rodriguez. This was intentionally written for his son, but as soon as it was published it has been an instant hit. The book is a self-biography which centered around his early life and his gang involvement. The book was very gritty, and intense. The book is based on alot action and drama in his community.