I have just finished Monster:The Autobiography of an L.A. gang member, and I would have to say that it is some of the best accounts of the Crips and gangsta life that I have read.I would like to stress that this book is not for those who have no idea about the struggle and are easily upset. Sanyika Shakur is a great writer and I am happy to see a black man from south central rise in education to such an amazing writer. I don't agree with a few things in this book such as use of the word overstand in place of understand, only because of the confusion it creates when you come across it, and it slows down the pace. It would also have helped if Shakur had explained why he use overstand so that the ready could comfortably read knowing where he was coming from.This is the real deal, and teen-agers and young adults are killing themselves and their communittees and the violence must stop. I salute Shakur for his difficult transition from Crip to New Afrikan nationalist. To the author should he read this-I don't agree with your mentality of "seperation of races" because my road dog, my best friend, my brother is black and yes I am white-Italian and if your philosphy to seperate was in effect then I would not be able to live and die by the gun with my homie. I love him as you love De.Peace brother you are a good man, and your past is nothing that you can change. Thank you for letting me see through your eyes before I have made the same mistake. I do Overstand.
