Do or Die by Leon Bing - Book Report/Review Example

Number] Do or Die by Leon Bing purpose: Leon Bing is the of Do or Die. Bing startedher early life as a model and eventually entered a world, which according to her, she had never thought of. She was a journalist by her profession and she wrote her book on the teenage criminals who were part of gangs in the inner cities. The author changed the direction of her life when she entered the world of journalism. She entered New York and wrote a book based on her true and original findings. As a journalist she could think of many aspects of the disturbed society, but her mind was struck by the gangs that involved teenagers. The purpose of writing this book was to bring out the true picture of the lives of these teenagers. She researched and interviewed the kids herself and added in her book the true picture of their feelings in their own words. The book was the first one of its kind. It was the response of the gang life that existed amongst the people and yet they were unaware of it. The author wants to get the readers in contact with the young criminals who are committing crimes daily, but at the same time they are suffering at their own hands. The author believes that everyone should know their stories about their life, their love and their emotions. The book addresses many of their problems which would help the people understand the disturbing aspects of the society. Bing was the only journalist who was allowed to reach to these kids and thus she wrote the book to spread her word and experience of meeting these kids and knowing about them. She believed everyone should be aware of their life stories. Thesis of the book: The main thesis of the book is the life of the teenagers who are in a war with themselves. The book investigates and reports the true stories behind the news headlines that reach to us daily, but their background never reaches us. The book revolves around those kids who have long served in the gangs, and most of them do not even know what they are doing. These kids have never been exposed to family life and thus they are immune to any pain or violence that they cause to others. The book seems to be very shocking for many readers as it reveals the reality which was unknown since a long time. The kids that are aged 13-16 are interviewed by the author, who is actually a journalist. These kids are those who are living in camps where the judge posts them as a punishment of their crimes. They serve days of life in that camp when they should be out in the world studying, playing and making their lives. The book’s thesis is surrounded by the feeling of care that the author has for these violent teenagers. These kids talk about their ‘normal’ lives in these camps and how they got here. These kids are not normal with normal lives. The life they live in is normal for them and they are satisfied with it, but when it is compared to what the actual world is, the author finds out that they are rather born with twisted minds and the environment they live in make their mid sets worsen. Their lives are sad and short (Bing 122). Organization of the book: Although the author has included a thesis to the book which is to figure the life, love and battles of the teenagers involved in gangs, she has successfully let the kids describe their stories to her themselves. The book is about the interviews of the young criminals with less involvement of Bing’s own ideas. The book is organized and written in first person as the author narrates her account of going to the camp, calling the kids for interviews, their reactions and then their stories. Each chapter is about a different place, a different life and a different kid. Bing describes each kid in her own words as she first saw them. She explains the place where they are living and where they were interviewed. The book is organized in a very logical manner. The interviews and stories about different kids all related to the same place, and somewhat same lives are compiled together and they form what is known to be the international bestseller. The book’s thesis and organizational logic is pretty much related to each other and they complement each other. The book’s thesis tells us about the general theme around which the book is formed, and the organization of chapters implicate the thesis by separately describing the lives, looks and battles of different kids. The author writes about how the kids were sensing relief by talking to someone. They felt nice and happy that someone is there in the camp to whom they can talk to. Many of these kids were much open to Bing and told her some of the most deadly violent crimes that they committed, and what they thought while committing them. It was however, the courage and skill of a magnificent journalist that the kids were frank with her and spoke freely about their lives. History and theories in the book: The book is not only a personal response, but it also includes many theories and methodologies which help to learn and understand the author’s hidden message. The book belongs to the public history where the author has related the present day kids to the society when it emerged and these gangs were formed. Her stories lead her to the initiatives of these gangs and their history in the society. The methodologies used by the author to employ the public history of these gangs are to do the research and present the arguments which have been raised in the years that followed their existence. The author has investigated her own approach towards the history and formation of these gangs and related it to the history that we know of. Throughout her analysis, she narrates the situations and what she thinks in her writing. It gives a comparative method to study as well as an explanatory method which includes primary evidence. In the course of the book, the author has written with many academic theories that seem to be the base of her writing. She has used some general theories such as persuation, emotion, trust, behaviours, understanding others and so on. Using narrative is the best way that the author has chosen. Furthermore, she has explained the theory of social nature and the social contract regarding the gangs and their social lives. Sources used by the author: In the method of investigating and researching the historical methodologies to include in her writing, the author has presented some limitations. Her theme was limited to the stories of the kids as she did not add much of her own interest or views in the book. She talked to the kids about their lives and let them explain their stories themselves. Her limitations to these stories and findings can be seen as the critique of the experiences of black history. Her central idea was to provide the readers with the real picture of the gangs and for that she has included much of the historical data that was needed. The author has applied the methodology of investigating and reaching to primary sources of information and thus, being an experienced journalist she has used her interviews as the strongest source of this book. She has not used any secondary sources as this book is the first one of its kind. No one could reach to these kids before but Bing has interviewed them and known the reality from their own mouth. Interviews and her experiences are the sources on the base of which she has been able to write an international bestseller. The interviews tell us about the stories and personal feelings of the kids and the narration by Bing provides us with understanding of how these kids talked their gestures, body language and extra dialogues with Bing. Interviews were the book’s most significant sources and there was no need to rely on other sources to make her book reliable and impactful. Her thesis was well portrayed by the life stories told in first person by the kids who have been suffering all their lives. Book in relation to the subject: The book relates to the course of the subject as it talks about the social history of Los Angles. Bing has focused her research on the kids and camps of Los Angles. Studying the social history of Los Angles includes the history of gangs and the crimes that took place in the years since Los Angles evolved as a city (Caughey 54). The subject of the course is about the city, and the social nature of the city which includes these groups of kids who were involved in gangs (Davis 76). However, the book fits with the issues raised in the subject course, but it does add much more to the subject course. The main aspect that is added is the perspective of the author herself. She has compiled interviews and it does not only tell the reader about the history of the social contract in Los Angles but also about the personal lives of the kids in the camp. Bing gives a new way of looking at the life in Los Angles. She tells us that the city did not only form the positives of the society but also the negativities of the society that are still hidden (McWilliams 98). Opinion about the book: The author has made a commendable effort to bring out her thoughts and feelings towards the kids through interviewing them and letting people know about them. The book had received immense good responses and was considered to be one of the best books. It covered a variety of themes and all subjugated by the kids themselves. It included emotion, social life, history, personal battles and many other features that combined in the making of a masterpiece. All parts of the book were done very well and they were originally thought and composed by the author. The author has used very clear words to make an impact on the readers. The sources used are genuine and the words are those said by the kids hence neither they are unclear nor difficult to understand. Although the author has made many conclusions and assumptions for these kids as she herself had a soft corner for these kids, it is not necessary that the reader would want to think the same. However, it is also true that the reader involves in the stories and starts thinking the way the author wants them to because of the pleasing and inspiring words used. A reader who is curious may chose this book as it tells about the young criminals, the camps and prisons they live in, their gangs history and their social life which would help any reader from the law field, psychology, sociology, or any other. The overall strength of the book is the author who is experienced and professional, and the primary sources used by her. Work Cited Bing Leon. Do or Die. USA: HarperCollins Publishers, 1991. Print. Caughey John, Coughay LaRee. Los Angles: Biography of a City. USA: University of California Press, 1977‎. Print. ‎ Davis Mike. City of Quartz: Excavating the Future in Los Angles. USA: Verso Books, 2006‎. Print. ‎ McWilliams Carey. Southern California: An Island on the Land. USA: Gibbs Smith, 1946‎. Print. ‎ Read More