Street Life: Poverty, Gangs, and a Ph.D. (Volume 1)

To be someone who honestly don’t like to read, but needed to for my sociology homework that is due tomorrow lol… this book was really interesting and it make you didn’t want to stop it just got more and more interesting and I love how he said what he wanted to and use his cuss words.. this is truly and inspirational book coming from another immigrant.

From a life in gangs that was going nowhere good to a totally new life in Education.My students and I read this book together and we all loved it. I had to then purchase a copy to keep in my classroom.

Inspired, and I know that no problem or obstacle is unattainable. The vision is clear to me now. Thank you

I ordered a class set for an at-promise youth class I co-facilitated at my school. The target audience for this book is young foos looking to inspiration. As a first-generation college graduate and educated foo, I really appreciated the simplicity of this book. Dr. Rios takes you through a tremendously heart wrenching journey of transformation and self-realization through mentorship and hustle. This story is an excellent read not only for those working in low-income communities and with at-promise youth, but also for folks who work at the intersections of inclusive education, culturally-responsive teaching, and mental health. Chicana/o/x youth could de as well as other brown youth from the struggle will certainly find value and connect with this book as many of the struggles he discussed are, unfortunately, very common in our communities. We need more raw, real, and practical stories like this one! I encourage all readers to pick this book up with an open heart. -SGN

One problem that I had while reading this book was the lack of details in the long and challenging periods of Dr. Rios's life. Many sections boiled down to "This was a really tough period of my life, but I made it through with hard work and the support of the people around me." For someone who is going through the drudgery of college, I am interested in learning more about how Dr. Rios overcame the long nights and the heavy work loads.However, as I came to realized near the end, that is not the point of this book. It is to inspire young people to strive for a better life through education and hard work, instead of through shady means. And while some more details would surely make the book more interesting, it would ultimately be unnecessary, or even harmful, to what the author wanted to achiev, considering the target audience.So don't read this with the expectation of getting a detailed step-by-step guide to improve your life like I did. Use this book as inspiration, and a strong one it is, to help you work towards the great life that is waiting for you down the long and spiky road. If the author could go from a juvenile gangster to a doctor, I'm sure you can achieve amazing things in your life too.

I choose this rating because it shows that you can decide what to do with your life that you need someone who might help get you there but that you have to want it and strive for it. I loved this book because Dr. Victor rios decided that though everything was against him in his life he pushed and got himself to where he is today. I'm sure his mother and family are proud as well as his best friend who he lost. He showed that anyone can do it and gives an example to everyone. This book is not only inspiring but it is also motivating and encouraging. Loved reading this book

All educators should read this book. His explanation of how poverty leads our young people to feel gang life is their only option should evoke empathy for gang members in everyone who reads it. His explanation of how the system was set up for him to fail and all he needed was support to overcome those obstacles was a call to action I want everyone to hear!

As a person whom shares similar experiences with Dr. Rios, this book is fantastic. "Street Life" is his autobiography and he tells his story explicitly. His uncompromising style of writing allows readers to quickly engage and jump into the book. As a Mexican-American, Rios, depicts what its like to grow up in an urban gang-infested setting and without the guidance of a father. His journey from a troubled teen to a established professor with a P.H.D. is inspiring and motivating to say the least. Readers can easily capture his authenticity that is what makes this book so enjoyable.