What do Salvadoran gang members, gluesniffers, prostitutes, thieves, murderers, and a young American woman who wanted to love them all, have in common? You'll find out in Kylla Hanson's My Life Crazy, where she crafts a beautiful story about lives full of insanity, desperation, joy, laughter, grief, and angst in very real situations on the dangerous streets of El Salvador. My Life Crazy provides a raw and unapologetic snapshot of how life is lived on streets that are owned and ruled by the two most powerful gangs of El Salvador, the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and their rival the Dieciocho (18th Street Gang). It is the story of a heart-wrenching, life-altering friendship that melds two lives, two countries, and two completely different worlds in the unlikeliest of situations.
Amylinn
Posted May 14, 2009
My Life Crazy puts you in the driver's seat of an out of control bus hurtling down the streets and alleys of El Salvador, taking you places you thought you'd never go and seeing stained glass pieces of reality in a colorful and vibrant country that's been forever affected by a brutal war. Hanson shows you the humanity and grit of El Salvador, and the beauty that comes when you least expect it. The writing is quick and sharp. There's no beating around the bush - she tells it like it is and you find yourself hanging on for dear life, hoping the story will never end.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Lyn-Krivanich
Posted May 14, 2009
Whether you're looking for a real page-turner and a true-life experience that reads like a fast-paced novel or you're interested in life in Central America and how one person can make a lasting difference or whether you'd like to see and understand what contributes to the making of gang members and how violent and volatile their lives really are, Kylla Hanson's book, My Life Crazy, fills the bill. Don't start reading it late at night as you might not be able to put it down. Ms. Hanson puts you on the scene, engaging your five senses and enabling you to experientially encounter the various people she works with and cares for . those considered disposable, "throw-away," untouchable and worthless . and all they contend with daily in their lives. The writing is excellent; the story haunting. This is a book worth reading.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.melissaSC
Posted May 11, 2010
This is one of the best books I have ever read! I experienced so many emotions throughout it and it only took me about 3 days to read it. I don't normally write book reviews, but I recommend this to anyone who loves hispanic culture. You get a glimpse of what life can really be like for the people of el salvador. This book will not disappoint you. I hope kylla hanson writes another book soon!!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted May 16, 2009
My Life Crazy separates itself from every other book on the bookshelf by providing real life gang stories. When reading My Life Crazy, you might as well put aside two hours because it will be extremely hard to put down. The vivid descriptions of raw experiences described in the above reviews should be enough to get this book, without hesitation. Everyone should strive to benefit from such a phenominal novel.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Sam-Wilson
Posted May 13, 2009
To walk a day in another man's shoes is to see the world through his eyes. Kylla Hanson spent two years learning and living the lives of the El Salvadoran people whether feeding the starving glue sniffers on the streets or witnessing some of its most brutal gang violence. She entered in, sought to understand, sought to help, sought to love and be loved as a member of the family. This book is the result. While you and I may never walk those streets Miss Hanson's book provides the next best thing. Her writing is clear, concise and vivid. You feel the heat of the sun, the grime of the street, the brokenness mingled with the hope of the inhabitants. Its a first person account well worth reading. The reader evolves as Kylla does, one moment high with the triumph of a soul saved from a life on the streets, the next devestated as another child slides from an abusive home into his new gang family. It will be hard to detach your heart from your head and hard to put this book down.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.I don't usually read very much but a friend turned me on to this book. I almost finished it in a day. And I am not a big reader! I am a math person and don't really care to read. But once I started to read this book it was very hard to put down. It is a very suspenseful book! I couldn't wait until I finished it and I enjoyed it until the end!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted November 25, 2009
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Anonymous
Posted November 8, 2010
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Overview
What do Salvadoran gang members, gluesniffers, prostitutes, thieves, murderers, and a young American woman who wanted to love them all, have in common? You'll find out in Kylla Hanson's My Life Crazy, where she crafts a beautiful story about lives full of insanity, desperation, joy, laughter, grief, and angst in very real situations on the dangerous streets of El Salvador. My Life Crazy provides a raw and unapologetic snapshot of how life is lived on streets that are owned and ruled by the two most powerful gangs...