Once a King, Always a King: The Unmaking of a Latin King

This book has so many gems!! I enjoy the lessons that it carried as it teaches us how difficult it is to grow from concrete but not impossible to make a positive change to a better life.

The book was delivered quick with no damage whatsoever. Haven't read it for about 20 years. Needed to add it to my collection...

Simply powerful and touching. I definitely cried at times. At the very end, when he asks for us to pray for him, I clasped my hands together and started praying and I pray on and off against for him still. I must say, when I read this the first time, I hated how emotionally abusive Marilyn was to him. Honestly, her twisted character, her even throwing the fact he was raped in his face, made me want to jump into the book and cuss her out and punch her (and I've never done either). Upon reading it the second time, I began to rethink my stance on her. I still don't like her, but I think a lot of her emotional back and forth/hot and cold was her trying to arouse him sexually to get him interested in talking about her hurtful past with her life. If that doesn't make sense, I think it will make sense if you thoroughly read the book. Reymundo definitely overcame a lot, externally and internally. He's an inspiration. This is a very well written, sometimes to detailed, eye opening story. You don't need the first book to appreciate this one, although I still recommend reading the first book, as well.

Craziest book Ive ever read. I will tell you I am no fan of reading books, especially if they are over 100 pages but dam this book is good. The first chapter alone threw me off, some stuff i would be honestly ashamed to ever talk about if those things ever happened to me. Story felt very real though although. Even the beggining in the first chapter had me astounded, but in a surprised and shocked way. You will see his life change, some very very dramatic changes. He goes through extreme highs and lows in his life. How he changes and the people around him change is crazy also. Some stories sound typical though such as one with a girl he used to visit every now and than but I don't want to give away spoilers. Anyways just read this book, I promise you will be entertained. I literally had a hard time putting this book down when i started reading, even during work sometimes.

I really enjoyed this book, I couldn't wait to get it so I can find out how his life turned out. I'm sadden in some ways but happy in others. This book provided firsthand look into prisons and how gangs still run in them. I'm thanking everyday that I didn't end up in prison for anything and that I had loving parents that raised me well. We still have dysfunction, all families do, it's just how bad and how it's handled. I myself was also abused but I managed to reach out and find people, both personal and professional help that helped me heal. I have come a long way in my life and I'M VERY PROUD OF MYSELF as Reymundo should. I'm just sorry that he's in a marriage primarily for the kids, but I know he's doing what he thinks is best and I respect him for that. GOOD LUCK, REYMUNDO!!! And I'm most certainly looking forward to any other books you write if you do.

When my teachers at school asked me what this book was about i told them its an autobiography version of The Outsiders on steroids. Reymundo Sanchez takes you on a journey of through his personal experiances as a Latin King member. He does a great job of writing this book as if you were him. He explains the cycle of poverty, abuse, drugs, racism and violence in one of the many inner city gulags in America. As i was reading this book i created a soundtrack to it by making a play list on my ipod of music by Immortal Technique, Welfare Poets and Mobb Deep, there are times when he talks about how he was proud of being violent when intoxicated but the second he's sober he would feel awful about the crimes he commited. This is an excellent book if you are trying to figure out how gangs are formed, why they are joined and how to stop them.

I liked this book for it's candidacy in portraying the ramifications of joining a gang. After growing up on the west side of Chicago, I know exactly where the book is coming from. It hits home. The reality of how those who supposedly were Raymundo's friends and loved him were so quick to turn on him and could care less whether or not they beat him to death is all too real. I truly hope this book will help some youth think twice about joining a gang. If it keeps at least one kid from joining, than it is worth it.

I love this Author. I find it hard to put down this book when I start reading it.