Biographies+&+Memoirs

Post reviews of Biographies & Memoirs here:

 * __A child called "IT"__, by Dave Pelzer**

It is a sad biography book about a boy. Smack his mother hits him in the face. A child gets abused all the time because he supposedly is a disobedient boy. David is her servant in the family. He does all the chores and never gets anything out of it. There was a part in the book that told a lot about David character. One day his mom stabbed him in the chest, and he was in the worst pain he ever felt. His mom did not take him to the hospital or anything. He got a massive infection, and he made his own infection get better. He was smart, and a brave kid that always had his head held high. I liked this book a lot even though it was kinda depressing. It certainly was worth the read. I recommend the book to whoever likes heartbreaking but good and engrossing books. The little boy has a lot of courage. I give him a lot of credit for being strong and not letting his mom always get to him. Jaci Dauphin


 * __A child called "IT"__, by Dave Pelzer**

The book __A Child Called “IT”__ is a horrible but yet very sad story about a boy’s chance of survival. Dave used to have a perfect family. Not until the day that everything changed, his mother had been a monster to him. She would beat Dave for no reason or for being a “bad boy”. Instead of things getting better, they got worse. She would not feed the “boy” for many days. She would find ways to hurt him physically and mentally. This book is very disturbing. I would recommend it for people who have gone through this experience.

__From the Barrio to the Board Room__ By: Robert Renteria

__From The Barrio to the Board Room__  is about this little boy named Robert growing up in East LA with his mother and father. His parents were not the richest but always try to support themselves and their son. Roberts mom became pregnant with a baby girl and even worked when she was 8 months pregnant when she was suppose to stop working at 5 months. At age five, Robert went up and down the streets knocking on doors to ask for any empty soda cans to return to grocery stores to get any sort of merchandise. His father wasn't helping out or making any money because he was always in and out of jail. When Robert was 6 years old, he went to a carnival and a changing experience happened. I recommend this book to anyone who lies life changing experienced stories. My personal connection to __From The Barrio To The Board Room__ would be about my brother because he was something else growing up. Once we moved to Algonquin he started middle school and started to become a little bad boy but high school made him go to a whole different direction no one would get through to him. now my brother is way more responsible with a job and taking care of his baby girl. - Cynthia Silva(:

From the Barrio to The Boardroom Book trailer

** __Heaven is for Real__, by Todd Burpo and Lynn Vincent **


 * Heaven is for Real is a story about a boy named Colton Burpo who needed emergency surgery, and for a short while, visited heaven. And a while after the surgery the things he describes from that day shocked his family. Colton does not talk about it much or give much info at a time, but it gets his parents wondering. His parents don't know he died until he started saying things about heaven,such as how he saw his dad crying and praying in that closet, or how he met his sister, who was miscarried. Or even how he met his grandfather who had died 30 years earlier. I could not tell you my favorite part, all the descriptions are shocking I recommend this book to everyone; it is a very inspirational book. All the information in this book makes you wonder, you will not want to put this book down. - **** Dakota Landorf **

__Iceman__, by Chuck Liddel

__Iceman__ is about a UFC fighter who was the Light Heavyweight Champion for two years. Well, Chuck Liddel is a UFC fighter in the light heavyweight div. (205 lbs). He reigned as the champion for two years and was great at knocking people out. He started in 1998 and in 2005 he became the champion. When he won the championship he was very excited and you could tell when reading the book. If you like fighting, you will love this book. This book is a great book. I think anybody would like to read this.-Alex Knaak

Iceman Book Trailer
**__If I Die in a Combat Zone__ , by Tim O’Brien **


 * The book __If I Die in a Combat Zone__ , by Tim O’Brien, is a good autobiographical account of Tim O’Brien’s tour of duty. In the story, the main character, Tim O’Brien, gets drafted into the army during the beginning of the Vietnam war. He gets stuck in the frontline and tries to get sent to the back so he doesn’t have to fight. My favorite part in the book is when he talks about the hard times during the war. I highly recommend this book to any one who likes to read about Vietnam. __If I Die in a Combat Zone__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> is a good book because it shows the hard times he faced during the Vietnam war. -Hayden Fruin **


 * The Lost Boy by: Dave Pelzer **


 * This book is about a young boy who never felt like he had a home. He never had anything that he liked that was really his own. He only ever had his torn clothes in a bag. He was always punished by his mom for things that he never did or whenever she felt that he did something wrong. His mom would only stop abusing him whenever his dad came home and his two brothers walked in the house. If you want to know what happens next then read the book.- Amanda Stauber **

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The story //<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">My Bloody Life: The Making of a Latin King //<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, is a story about a man named Reymundo Sanchez whose life has been full of violence and drugs. From his beginning where he suffered physical and mental abuse, as well as neglect from his own mother and stepfather. By the age of ten, he started taking it to the streets trying to finds acceptance in a street gangs. By the age of thirteen, Reymundo was a member of one of the notorious latino street gangs, the Latin King. This book shows what lures teens like Reymundo in street gangs and how members will say they would kill for you, but quickly turn on you by trying to kill you.--Yovany Zarate
 * __My Bloody Life: The Making of a Latin King__, by Reymundo Sanchez**

My Bloody Life Book Trailer

__**My Bloody Life The Making of a Latin King**__ By: Reymundo Sanchez

This book is about a little boy whose parents abuse him; they moved to Chicago. His parents still abused him, so he found ways to not be at his house. So he started to hang around with other kids but those kids were involved in gangs. He had his first in counter with gangs when he was only 13 years old. He still didn't like that life style so he didn't join any of the gangs, but his best friend Papo wanted him to join the Spanish Lords and so did the gang members because they really liked him. He wanted to joined but he hadn't made up his mind yet. But then one night changed everything. They were hanging out and one of the gang members told him to hold his sweater, that sweater was really important to him, because they were going to kill a rival gang member, but the other gang jumped him and took the sweater. Crazy was mad because of what happened. Crazy told him that he wanted his sweater. They told him to get in a car and they drove off. They told him to shoot a rival gang member; he didn't do it because he was so scared. Months passed and they didn't want him because they thought he was a coward because he didn't shoot the rival gang member. So he stop hanging out with another called the Latin Kings. In only took a little for him to join the gang because he really like it. He joined the gang, he became very violent after he joined. Every time her dranked or got high, he was name Lil Loco ( Lil Crazy). -J.G-

My Bloody Life Book Trailer
=__My Bondage and My Freedom__, Frederick Douglass= //My Bondage and My Freedom// is an autobiography written by Frederick Douglass. The main focus of his autobiography is about his time in slavery and the struggles he faced. The cool thing about this autobiography is that Douglass also talks about when he was freed. My favorite part of the book is when Douglass is owned by master Covey, because there is a very unexpected twist. If you like history, especially the issues of slavery, then you will like this book. This book portrays slavery in a whole new light, because it is written by a former slave.-ND

By: Reymundo Sanchez
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Once a King always a King__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> tells the rest of the story to Reymundo’s gang life with the Latin Kings. Reymundo ends up getting out of the Latin Kings by getting a 3 minute violation. He didnt have anywhere to live so he talked to his friend Spanky a member of the Latin Kings and asked if he could live in his basement; Spanky and his wife Imelda both agreed. Rey lived there for a while until Spanky found out what his been doing with his wife. Spanky got a group of Latin Kings to give him a violation and told him he had to get out of his house and was now wanting to kill Rey. Rey went to his old friends house and found out the only way to be safe was to put his crown back on with the permission of the leader Tino. Other Kings kept calling him a fake and he had to prove himself a worthy Latin King by killing a rival gang member. When they were at the scene Rey didn’t do anything and ran away after the first shot. Rey is now just trying to avoid getting killed or beat up by the Latin Kings but his life takes alot of turns and is now trying to get everything together. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-Tony Nieves

Once A King Always A King book trailer


 * A Perfect Fit **
 * By: Luther Wright and Karen Hunter**

====The memoir A Perfect Fit is a book that you will not want to put down if you are interested in a true heart warming story but with a sad side. Luther Wright had all of the tools to be a great NBA basketball player, but along the way he will have to make tough that will effect the rest of his life. At a young age Luther will have to make important decisions concerning his family life and also his own life. These decisions come with the fortune and fame he receives early in his life, from being a great basketball player through high school and college. He grew up in the projects of New Jersey so he wasn't used to having all of this money. I love this book, because it has so many real life circumstances and i learned alot about making decisions that would effect the rest of my life. If you love a good basketball book or a book that catould probably relate to your own life about decision making; this is for you. Overall I believe this is a must read for everyone.==== -Max Kunde

A Perfect Fit book trailer

**__Rachel’s Tears__, by Beth Nimmo, David Scott and Steve Rabey**
 * On April 20, 1999, Rachel Joy Scott was the first to be killed of 13 people in the Columbine high school massacre. There is no beginning or end to this book, but it tells about Rachel’s life before and after Columbine and the influence she had on all those around her. I really enjoyed hearing from Rachel’s Diaries and her family and friends about the religious impact she had separately on each individual. Their lives all changed in some way when Rachel’s life was taken. If you like a religious story of a great leader in God’s mission and her impact on the world now, this is a great book for YOU! Rachel’s Chain Reaction was the change she wanted to see in the world. - Ashley Wilmot **

__Seal team six__, by Howard Wasdin
__Seal team six__ is a true story written by Howard Wasdin about being a Navy SEAL. Wasdin comes from an abusive and hard working family. Working on his father’s watermelon farm taught him to work hard and never quit. He would use those skills to become a navy SEAL and to survive. My favorite part is when Wasdin finally graduates from BUD/S and becomes a navy SEAL. If you like war books with true stories, you will love this book. Howard Wasdin was a tough guy seeking adventure so he joined the SEALS. Dakota Csanda


 * __Si-Cology 101__, by Si Robertson with Mark Schlabach **

It’s on like bing-bong-Jack! As you might have guessed the book must be related to Duck Dynasty. Silas Robertson wrote a grand novel, “Si-cology 101”. Si not only gives great advice and tips about life, but he shares his experiences growing up. “Si-cology 101”, is not just one story but a multitude of them. Many things that were read in the book would not be something that I even questioned, such as, “Where he got his first iced tea glass.” The stories that are shared through this book are either, funny, inspirational, or ponder worthy. Silas made a connection with me throughout the book, because he hunts and fishes with his children, siblings, and grandchildren, to this day. People could definitely relate to some of the things that he did while hunting, fishing, and spending time with my family. If you like the reality show, “Duck Dynasty”, you will enjoy reading “Si-cology 101”. Silas Robertson will knock-your-socks-off with laughter!


 * __Tweak: Growing up on Methamphetamines__ by Nic Sheff**

The book //Tweak// is a sure attention grabber. This book tells the true story of a young man, Nic, struggling with a drug and alcohol addiction since his first experience with alcohol at age eleven. When he first started, it was only pot.Then it was in and out of rehab struggling to stay clean from methamphetamine and heroin. Now he has relapsed, wanting to see it through to the end. He has been stolen from, started selling and helped his girlfriend into the hospital from an overdose. What is left to happen before he reaches recovery? I enjoyed reading this book because it's real. You feel yourself almost there, watching it all happen. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading about the troubling aspects of a drug addict's life and struggle for recovery. //Tweak// is a must read for adolescence teens and even their parents. -Caroline Campbell


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">//Tweak//, by Nic Scheff **

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In his book, Tweak, Nic Scheff is a recovering methamphetamine addict struggling to stay sober. In and out of rehabilitation centers, Nic struggles to keep a relationship with his family while trying to lead a normal, drug-induced life. He soon becomes powerless to control the horrors that his addiction brings. I know how Nic feels when he says that he thought he had control over drugs but he actually didn’t. If you are struggling with addiction yourself, then this is a powerful story to read. I was not able to put this book down. It is graphic and disturbing on so many levels. -Faith Dooley


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">Burnt Toast **
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">By: Teri Hatcher **


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">The book Burnt Toast is about a woman named Teri Hatcher. She tells stories about her life that relate to others. She explains how she got through all the hard times in her life. The relationship she makes is to burnt toast, and that sometimes in life you get the golden toast and other times you get the burnt toast. When you get the burnt toast you have to just scrape off the gross parts and make the best of it! **
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">Jessica Weiss **