Lit Circle Monthly Review

The autobiography "Down These Mean Streets" is about a adolescent name Piri growing up in the inner city in the Spanish Harlem. He starts off in a small apartment living with his big family. The apartment is hot during the summer and freezing during the winter. The story follows Piri Thomas as he grows up in Harlem, with his environment greatly affecting who he is. He faces racism, joins a gang, and often has run ins with the law. Throughout the book, it traces Piri's growth as a person.

1. What was the author's purpose(s) in writing this book, and how can you tell? How well was this purpose achieved?

I think the purpose of the book was to educate people about the lives people had to live back then. The world wasn't perfect back then, and it still clearly isn't. It could also be a way for Piri to get his message out there about drugs and how he feels about them. I don't know exactly how he feels, but I am pretty sure that he doesn't approve of them with this generation's youth. But with the possible legalization of marijuana approaching, it might be too little too late. I think I can tell that this was the purpose, because throughout the entire story, Piri focuses on his change in his life usually circulating around drug use and his selling of them. It wasn't achieved, but that may only be me. My view on drug use remains almost the same, and I've never used any other than Tylenol. When I hear about teenagers using drugs like marijuana, I'm not entirely surprised that it is that popular with them. It has been popular since Piri's teen years, so why wouldn't it be still today? Piri did drugs much more worse things than just pot, he was a heroine addict, who got caught selling. In the heat of the moment, he shot a cop and that might have actually been the changing moment in his life. He went to jail, and came out changed man. I think that using jail was definitely the right thing to talk about as I'm sure no drug addict wants to go to jail. It also demonstrates how quickly things can change in someone's life. One minute, you can be selling the most drugs in your life and thing that you are the smoothest thing ever. But it only takes one time to get caught and change your life forever. I think this is the message Piri is trying to show and to me, it was successful.

2. For what audience(s) is this book intended, and how can you tell? (In other words, for whom would you recommend this book?)

I think the book was for all audiences, but mostly for teenagers who are unfortunately already caught up in a life of drugs. When I started reading the book, I thought what my life would be like if I was forced to sell drugs just to make a living. I couldn't really imagine it, especially living in Alameda. However, I know there are people out there that are in this poor position, and are trying to make the best out of it. For those people, I would recommend that they read this book to see that someone out there has gone through the same thing as them, and eventually changed their life around and isn't afraid to talk about his past. Piri's past is a big part of who he is today, and the fact that he is not hiding from it is a big thing. For the people in that tough position that Piri once was in, his life and his turn around has to be inspiring for them.

I can tell that this was written for them because he wouldn't be so open about it, unless he knew that there are people in the same position he once was in. I think he is trying to help them by talking about his life so openly, and letting people know that he was once there. He might even be saying, hey if I can make it from that dark time, why can't you?

I would recommend this book to other high school students (especially those caught up with drugs already) and tell them this is why education is so important unless that is the life they desire. I don't see how they could desire that life after reading that book with such graphic details mostly after his run in with the law.

3. If you've read other books in this same genre, how does this one compare?

I will be completely honest, that all other autobiographies are completely boring to me. They are just answering the same questions every other one has already answered and most of the time their answers are the same or only slight variations of the original. They don't always go in to much detail. But not with this book. Piri leaves no details out (at least I don't think so).

And before, I wouldn't even pick up an autobiography unless it was about someone in sports or someone world famous for something fun. If I was in 6th grade and I saw this book and saw that it was an autobiography about someone who I have never heard about, I wouldn't have though twice and put the book right back on the shelf.

But once I picked this book due to me not being able to find Hoop Dreams, I realized that this book wasn't the usual autobiography. It was interesting from the beginning, and it was different. It wasn't the usual boring same old bland story. It was the truth and nothing, but the truth (again I think this is true). So I was genuinely surprised when I found I actually liked this book. If I didn't always read it right before I went to bed, I probably would have been entertained with it enough to read it all the way through in just a couple of sittings. And that coming from me, a person who never reads books unless it is assigned and for a grade, is a huge compliment (not that that means anything, but still). So if you don't like autobiographies and you think this will be like all the others, don't think that. Pick this book up and read it. Unless you're extremely squirmy when it comes to stuff that is kind of nasty, I guarantee you will like this book and it will be one of the best you have read in years.

Lit Circle Letter 3

In part three of "Down These Mean Streets" it starts off with Piri as a heroine addict who finds himself caught up in the life of the streets. He starts off selling heroine on the streets. That all changed when he was selling with his friends Billy and Danny and they were caught by the police. Piri freaks out and shoots the cop out of bad instinct. He is then sentenced to 5-15 years in prison without parole at first. He is let out 6 years later and thinks about escaping there instead of going to his probation hearing. He ends up going to the hearing where he is sentenced to 3 years probation. After he is let out, he is offered to do some drugs again with his friends, but as a result of him changing, he politely declines. This shows how much Piri changed during his time in jail.

I read the book mostly when I was about to go to bed so I didn't remember a lot of what I had just read. So later, I had to go back and re read the last section. It was a good book, and I enjoyed reading it even though I don't remember some of it. The fact that this actually happened to Piri makes the story that much better in my eyes. My annotating has really slowed down because of how tired I have been as I have been reading it. But re reading it helps me probably more than annotating would. For me annotating has just never really been that useful, but I still try to do it because I realize it makes it much easier to get details when writing something like a monthly review. Instead of having to have to look for something you thought was important, you can just write it down that you thought it was important, and go back and look at it later.

What's New?

So just like I said a week ago, the NCAA tournament is some of the most entertaining TV on. Not only is it entertaining normally, but especially if you have some money on it. An eight dollar buy in with 34 people leaves 274 dollars to the winner. It is still early, but in my group, I am right in the middle. As long as I am in striking distance when it comes to the elite eight, I am still in it.

Some say that the opening round of this years tournament is the most exciting in years. Imagine if you were practically betting money on those exciting games. That just triples the excitement. Jumping up and down when your team wins knowing what the ultimate prize is. Realizing that you are rooting for them today, but next week you will probably be rooting against them. It is the perfect mixture.

For instance, I am rooting for Cornell today because when they won, they got me 2 points for their win being an upset. This weekend, I don't want them to win because I already picked them to lose. If they win, I hate them forever. Well, not forever. But it just shows how quickly you can like a team, then hate them when you have a bracket.

So this last week was really entertaining when it comes to sports. It started off on Saturday night with the fight. To be honest, I wanted Clottey to win just to see someone beat Pacquiao to see if it could be done. Obviously it can't right now. And when he fights Floyd Mayweather, I will definitely be rooting, and probably betting, for Pacquiao. When Pacquiao won, I realized something. This man can not be beaten and the only reason Mayweather doesn't want to fight him is because he is scared to be beaten. Imagine this. You are an undefeated boxer. Would you want to fight the guy who can't be beat right now? Didn't think so.

It is almost that wonderful time of the year. That would be the time of the NFL draft. It is now under 5 weeks away and for the first time will be on in prime time Thursday night. If you are a true fan of whatever team you like, you will park yourself in front of the TV April 22nd and watch the 3 hours of the draft. That would prove to everyone that you are a true fan to the game. And don't think that the draft is a boring show. No no no no, it is actually some of the most compelling TV on. The hope you have for your team heading into it, and the inevitable sadness that you have after watching it. Well, here is to hoping that your team does good, unless your team is the Patriots, then I hope your team drafts the worst players available.

And let's not forget about the NBA. The Warriors are still sucking and the Lakers are still winning. What's new?

Down These Mean Streets Part 2

In the beginning of the second section of Things Fall apart, Piri tries to get a job, but is passed up based purely on his race. He knows this because his white friend gets the same job. The people at the job say they will contact him because they are pretty full at the time and aren't hiring at that time. They didn't know that his friend went in right after him and got the same job that Piri just lost. Piri also gets older and the streets get to him as he joins a gang. All of these things shape who Piri becomes and are still a part of him today.

This section of the book was definitely easier to read because a lot more was happening and especially because I wasn't constantly being introduced to new people time after time. It just flows better when you can actually start reading about events that happened and not keep reading details about each new person you read about.

I didn't annotate as much this time mostly because I had to read a lot more in a shorter period of time. I did remember a lot more of what I read though, because I was more focused on reading and not so focused on the other things I usually do when I read like watch TV or look up stuff online. I've also been more tired because of daylights savings time, so I've been getting a lot of reading done before I go to bed.

I actually got a lot of my questions answered in the second section of the book because of how much more of the story unfolded and not that many questions had arisen for me. I'm looking forward to reading the third section of the book, but not really looking forward to the final book review which is only a week away.

Sick Make Up

So my last post was a bit out of the ordinary as it had absolutely nothing to do with sports. Like none whatsoever. Well don't get used to it. It's right back to the usual with this post. I mean how can you not talk about sports with March Madness here? The excitement, the bets, it just makes March the best month for college sports.

The NFL off season began and there have been a numerous amount of signings this year. The off season is a great way to keep up the anticipation in between the Superbowl and the NFL draft. It is like a way to keep your hopes up for your team, no matter how bad they were or how bad they are going to be. You always have your fantasy of how the season will play out and it always ends with your team winning the Superbowl. But let's be honest now. How many teams win the Superbowl? 1? How many people do you think say "I told ya so" at the end of the season after their team wins it, even though they have been saying the same thing for over 30 years. The team could have gone 1-15 the previous season, but that person will still say "you watch, they are going to win it all this season." And that one year that they happen to be right, their friends will never hear the end of it. I feel for you, really I do.

Then of course, there are those horrible band wagoners. They switch teams every year, claiming to be a fan of them ever since they were little. Please... For the record, I only have 4 teams in both the NBA and the NFL. They are the Lakers, the Warriors, the 49ers, and the Ravens. You won't see any hopping over here. I stick with my teams, whether they suck or not. I, of course, will root for a certain team, but not become a fan of that team. Especially if a team I hate is playing. For instance, the Patriots and the Celtics. I hate both teams. So when they are playing on national TV I will tune in to see how the game is going. If it's close, I stick with that game and hope that they get killed out there. Not literally though. But I will definitely root for the other team. Not become a fan, but root. There is a difference for sure. So don't call me a band wagoner if you see me saying I told you so if these teams do good. I of course am being somewhat of a hypocrite, but DO NOT CALL ME A BAND WAGONER.

People ask me, why do you like those teams. To tell you the truth, I like the Warriors and 49ers because they are local teams. I like the Lakers because my brother always use to watch them when I was younger, so I got hooked early. And the Ravens, believe it or not, I like because my dad hates them. Yes you heard right. I tend to like teams that other people in my family dislike, just to mess with them. They always stuck with me though, so that's how that happened.

Food

Today we watched video about food. There were some questions that went along with it that made me think. A lot. In the past few days I have been eating a lot of junk food, but I have always been aware of the effects that those junk foods have on my body and my health. I also realize that the food I am eating is in no way healthy and how bad it actually is. A lot of the stuff in the video, I already knew. But I also learned a lot about stuff I didn't know earlier. For example, I knew about all the sugar in foods we eat or drink everyday. I also knew about all of the different names for sugar and how deceiving low fat foods can be. One thing I learned is how many diseases are cause by people's diet and how many deaths per year in America are due to diet.

I wish I could cook so then I would always know what is in the stuff I am eating. Not that I would know about everything, but that I would at least know about some of the stuff I am eating. The only problem with me and my cooking future is the fact that I am too lazy to really learn about cooking and all of the time it takes most of the time. Anything that takes under 10 minutes to cook, I know how to make. The ramen, the quesadillas, I know all about them. Its the foods that actually take some effort and focus that are the problems for me. I also don't like to cook because I know I can just buy what I want, and it will probably taste way better. I also don't like to cook because I can't really cook what I want at the time. Whenever I crave something, it is usually something not very healthy. Like mexican, or chinese, or something deep fried. Not the greatest for me. But don't get me wrong. I do sometimes crave something healthy. Especially fruit. The only problem with me and my cravings when it comes to fruit is I eat all of that fruit I can find for about a week, but after that, I am so burnt out on that fruit that I don't want to eat it for about 3 months.

But what I can cook, I can cook great. Like quesadillas. I love them because it takes like 5 minutes to make, and you can put almost whatever you want in them. Craving some pop tarts? Just throw them in there. No, actually don't. That would be gross. But when it comes to college, I got cooking down. My menu is pretty much set for my 4 years away from home. I may come back 300 pounds heavier, but you can't say I can't take care of myself anymore. Ok maybe you still can say that. My food may not be the healthiest, but it is cheap and that is probably the main reason I will eat it.

Down These Mean Streets Part 1

Dear Group,

In the first section of the book "Down These Mean Streets", we are given the first part of the autobiography of Piri Thomas. It focuses on his early teenager years and the troubles he went through growing up in the Spanish part of Harlem known as El Barrio. He gets involved in drugs and runs away from his parents numerous times. When this happens, he moves in with his friends sometimes or maybe even his relatives until he can tell they are growing tired of him. With no house, he goes out and looks for a job, but it almost always ends with him selling drugs and even using some to get through.

A number of questions have popped up in my mind when I have been reading this book, especially because of the way it is written. Alot of the language is a little bit slang and if you don't know what it means, it can definitely be confusing as to what the sentence means. I also didn't know that people talked like that back then. It seems that kind of language is making a come back. Unless he changed the writing to make it seem more understandable for people nowadays, but a lot of the language is similar to what it is now today.

I have been annotating on post it notes to keep track of what I think will be important possibly later. Piri has met a lot of people, some helpful and some not so helpful. Piri himself is helpful. One example is how he often gives money to homeless people, but he is also not oblivious to the world. He knows that money will probably be used on drugs and realizes it doesn't affect him, so why should he care? It is just him being helpful to someone else and they can do what they want with their lives. Overall, this book has been great and I look forward to reading some more.