Product Description

Cholo/gang/lowrider culture is most authentically and seriously presented by the Northern California magazine Mi Vida Loca, a magazine that speaks honestly and directly to the gangs and the drug culture it represents without belittling them, sending an anti-violence message that is taken far more seriously than the police. A "best of" collection of art, essays, articles and letters, plus a lengthy interview with former gang member and publisher Reynaldo Berrios, this remarkable work is now available to readers of all cultural backgrounds and lifestyles.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2405131 in Books
• Published on: 2003-06
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 340 pages

Synopsis
Cholo gang culture has never been more authentically portrayed than by the Northern Californian magazine Mi Vida Loca, which has recently published its eightieth issue. Editor and former gang member Reynaldo Berrios knows the culture from both sides of the prison fence. His chest and stomach, carved up from knife attacks, are testament to his violent past. Collected in this volume is the best and most compelling material from his "Life in the Barrio" serial, which has run consecutively in the past fifty issues of his magazine. Included among its remarkable contents are letters and art from gang members who have found themselves imprisoned, and wish to speak of their experiences of the violence, drugs, cops, romance and the religious beliefs all bound up with this life of the streets. A glossary of the Hispanic terms and a lengthy interview with the author himself puts this book into a context which readers of all walks of life can enjoy.