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Monster: The Autobiography of an L.A.Gang Member
 
 
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Monster: The Autobiography of an L.A.Gang Member (Paperback)

by Sanyika Shakur (Author) "June 15, 1975. I proudly strolled across the waxed hardwood stage of the auditorium at the Fifty-fourth Street elementary school under the beaming stares of..." (more)
4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (56 customer reviews)
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Frequently Bought Together

Monster: The Autobiography of an L.A.Gang Member + Do or Die: For the First Time, Members of America's Most Notorious Gangs - the Crips and the Bloods - Speak for Themselves + Redemption, From Original Gangster to Nobel Prize Nominee: From Original Gangster to Nobel Prize Nominee - The Extraordinary Life Story of Stanley Tookie Williams
Price For All Three: £22.47

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Product details

  • Paperback: 400 pages
  • Publisher: Pan Books (22 Jul 1994)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0330331736
  • ISBN-13: 978-0330331739
  • Product Dimensions: 17.4 x 10.8 x 2.8 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (56 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 9,571 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in these categories:

    #5 in  Books > Society, Politics & Philosophy > Social Sciences > Law & Disorder > Issues > Gangs
    #7 in  Books > Biography > True Crime > Mafia & Organised Crime
    #15 in  Books > Society, Politics & Philosophy > Social Sciences > Law & Disorder > Criminology

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Product Description

Product Description
At the age of 11, Kody Scott was initiated into the L.A. gang the Crips. He'd just done battle with the enemy, pumping eight blasts from a sawn-off shotgun into a group of rival gang members. From then on, Kody channeled everything into gang life - earning the gang name of Monster. Written from his prison cell, this autobiography is an account of the violent life of Monster Kody Scott.
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First Sentence
June 15, 1975. I proudly strolled across the waxed hardwood stage of the auditorium at the Fifty-fourth Street elementary school under the beaming stares of my mother, aunt, and Uncle Clarence. Read the first page
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Customer Reviews

56 Reviews
5 star:
 (45)
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 (7)
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 (3)
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Average Customer Review
4.7 out of 5 stars (56 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars A frightening insight to another world, 17 April 2003
By A Customer
This book has certainly had a lasting effect upon me and truly opened my eyes to a whole new world. Before reading this brutally honest piece of work, i felt i had an idea of what life in South Central L.A. was like, the book simply highlighted my own ignorance and showed how naive i realy was.
Kody Scott symbolises both the immature, violent thug that has grown to terrorise America's streets and also the strong, courageous character that gives Los Angeles hope. "Monster" Kody Scott reveals the story of his struggle to stay alive on the harsh streets on which he grew up, the crazy, senseless path he chose to take which led him into the heart of gangsterism in it's cruelest form. He takes the reader on a journey through a troubled youth involving drugs, theft and murder in search of "ghetto super-stardom" and all it's mindless glory. The powerful imagery Scott uses in describing the unforgivable sins he has committed and the hostility he came to face from prejudiced police is truly mind blowing. The way in which he talks of homicide as a daily routine and the murders he commits as being formality hits the reader hard. It is upsetting and disturbing almost to the point of wanting to stop reading, but the intrigue and suspense is enough to keep anybody's eyes glued to the paper. The most difficult part about reading the book is reminding oneself that it is not fictional, displaying the madness and ferocity of a very real world. The glimmer of hope that can be gained from reading such a book is in Scott's efforts to change the path he has carved himself and find a new lease of life away from the violence.
Unbelievable
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29 of 33 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars monsta or misunderstood, 15 May 2001
By A Customer
Sanyika's autobiography is quite simply an astonishing read. It would be easy to label this book a sensationalised account of a semi-literate, hard headed, no hoper who slips into the world of random, senseless gang banging. But it truly isnt. The most remarkable aspect of this book is the clarity with which he writes on a any given subject. Whether it's historical background on the inception of the Crip; his first night out putting work in; describing personal feelings of seeing his homies killed - all are written with a maturity and objectivity that belies his lack of a formal education. Some of the accounts are truly horrible - but not for its graphic description (of which there are plenty), but more to do with the cold, analytical way with which Sanyika describes them. Furthermore, no one can accuse Sanyika of attaching ridiculous ideals to the actions of gangbanging because he doesn't. That is probably the most heartbreaking aspect of the book: the sense of sheer worthlessness of lives in South Central and their exclusion into the wider community and of America in general. This book is all the more complete because of Sanyika's undoubted intelligence and his commitment to shedding layers of gang facade in order to expose raw, personal, insightful emotions. I dont think I've been more touched by an autobiography. If u care about human life; if you worry over your own selfishness and the sheer horror of what could happen on a wider scale if we continue to ignore those who need it most, this is a must read.

Peace

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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Salvation of a monster, 14 Jul 2005
Many of us have seen and read books about what happens in the gang infested areas of LA, we see newspaper reports and TV footage off riots. Thus the violence in the book is not something that I found massively new or shocking.

What makes this a compelling read is that we get an insight into the thought process of a gang member and that is truely shocking. At eleven years of age Kody was happy to shoot and kill people who in relaity were the same as him but were on the otehr side of a war. This is the part of the book that shook me, at a time I was doing paper rounds and going to school he was already a full gang memeber.

The second insight and what explains why so many ex members turn to religion is the undying faith that they hold to a cause. His belief first in the gang and his people is unshakeable and not open for question it is total, and this is the force that drives him both then and now.

This is a very good read intelligently written and both brutal and at times moving, it opens up another side to a world which I relaised I knew nothing about.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars book review
This book is ACE couldn,t put it down till I done wit it and now upset it has finished a truly wonderful grim and often brutal reality check on gangland war fair in LA and how out... Read more
Published 4 days ago by S. Bingham

4.0 out of 5 stars monster cody?
i agree with previous reviews that this is an "interesting" book to read but sadly it shows what a real waste of life these kind of people live. Read more
Published 17 months ago by reader

5.0 out of 5 stars Monster: The Autobiograpgy of an L.A Gang member
This book is one of the best autobiographies i have ever read. It takes normal people like me into the heart of what the whole gang warfare is like in the real streets of America... Read more
Published on 7 Feb 2006 by nat_kaz

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting but not mindblowing
This is the first book I have ever read about ganglife, and I bought it on the strength of the glowing reviews. Read more
Published on 2 Feb 2006

4.0 out of 5 stars No depth
The book was good, a real eye opener when it came to the stuff about living and dying in the prison of LA and the vivid images and fear I felt when reading the stuff was great... Read more
Published on 24 Jul 2004 by Christopher Smith

5.0 out of 5 stars A great insight
Ever wondered what gives South Central LA it's notorious reputation? Look no further. Monster is a well detailed book with important characters all the way through the story. Read more
Published on 15 Jul 2003 by acousins8

5.0 out of 5 stars brilliant
i feel sorry that kody scott had to grow up in such a harsh violent society. you are judged on not how smart you are or if you are a good person the only thing they care about is... Read more
Published on 14 Jun 2002 by scotty2hotty1985

5.0 out of 5 stars MoNsTeR!!!! U have to read about him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Monster.. This book is 1 of the greatest books i have ever read!! sanyika tells his story of growing up in the hood and u see the choices of his life and how he grows up.. Read more
Published on 13 Mar 2001

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic!
A true story that will have you on the edge of your seat all the way. Horrifying, cold, and unbelievable! Pure genius!
Published on 5 Aug 2000 by sperry6139@email.msn.com

5.0 out of 5 stars great indepth look into the gang life first hand.
great book to read for todays youths who are thinking of joining or those who are gang members, it's a realization that gang life is very dangerous it must be taken seriously... Read more
Published on 2 Sep 1999

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