"Always Running - La Vida Loca: Gang Days in L.A." by Luis J. Rodriguez

This powerful memoir recounts Rodriguez's youth as a gang banger in the barrios of East L.A. in the early 1960's. He served time in prison for attempted murder, had near-death experiences involving crack and heroin, and witnessed the premature death of many friends and neighbors. His language is raw and powerful, this autobiography was written to help deter his own son from following in his gang footsteps. Rodriguez found support within his community, and was able to break free of his gang activity. He is now a leading Chicano author. "Always Running" won a Carl Sandburg Literary Award, and was a New York Times Notable Book. In 1999 the American Library Association called Always Running one of the 100 most censored books in the United States.