If you like the Bloods, Crips and Black Panthers, then this would be a great book to read. Rather than it just being one long interview with gangsters, William Shaw has made this into more of a docu-story. You follow the lives of around 8 different gang members, and you learn to love and hate them. It delves into the gang lives of many people who do not want violence, but protection - and others who want money, power and respect. I fell in love with this book - it was packed full of facts but experiences too...There's many familiar names in there, such as Suge Knight and Tupac Shakur. Not only does it widen your knowledge of gang life in California but it also brushes you up on the gangsta hip-hop industry back in the days where it was at its peak. A very under-rated book which doesn't get enough airtime. A perfect book for those who love the westcoast - I'll never part with it