Rating: 
Summary: A Different Kind of Skinhead
Review: After burning down his house to protect his parents from further criminal chargers, Alex ran away to Chicago, and fell into the wrong crowd. He became a skinhead, but not your ordinary type of skinhead, they did not believe in discrimination, as a matter of fact there were a few African American skinheads in the book. But after a bar fight Alex and his best friend Tim found their selves enlisting into the reserves as part of a court order. The drama begins to unfold when he comes back to Chicago after his brief military training.
The book changed my view on skinheads dramatically. Up until now I have viewed skinheads as your typical swastika wearing, Hitler loving, white power freaks. I never even considered the possibility that their are different types of people who shave their head, with different beliefs. With reading this book I realized they are people to and have there own set of problems just like most Americans.
I liked this book a lot and would defiantly recommend it to others, but because of its graphic language I would not recommend it to younger readers. The ending will shock you, as it did to me, but I don't think it was to far fetched, it was believable. The more I thought about it the more it made sense. The book tied up a lot of loose ends in the last couple of chapters making the book defiantly worth reading.
Rating:
Summary: A Different Kind of Skinhead
Review: After burning down his house to protect his parents from further criminal chargers, Alex ran away to Chicago, and fell into the wrong crowd. He became a skinhead, but not your ordinary type of skinhead, they did not believe in discrimination, as a matter of fact there were a few African American skinheads in the book. But after a bar fight Alex and his best friend Tim found their selves enlisting into the reserves as part of a court order. The drama begins to unfold when he comes back to Chicago after his brief military training.
The book changed my view on skinheads dramatically. Up until now I have viewed skinheads as your typical swastika wearing, Hitler loving, white power freaks. I never even considered the possibility that their are different types of people who shave their head, with different beliefs. With reading this book I realized they are people to and have there own set of problems just like most Americans.
I liked this book a lot and would defiantly recommend it to others, but because of its graphic language I would not recommend it to younger readers. The ending will shock you, as it did to me, but I don't think it was to far fetched, it was believable. The more I thought about it the more it made sense. The book tied up a lot of loose ends in the last couple of chapters making the book defiantly worth reading.
Rating: 
Summary: A Risky and Successful Epic about Growth and Concequences
Review: Don De Grazia's "American Skin" is a raw and in-your-face tale of Alex Verdi, a kid who is on the run from the cops when his parents are busted on drug charges. Not knowing what else to do, he gets out of dodge and flees to Chicago to get in touch with his sister and to try to find out exactly what is going on. The new life doesn't start out very well for young Alex, as he has poor luck with getting a decent job and gets mugged and beaten up by thugs. His luck changes by a twist of fate when he is befriended by a multiracial group of anti-Nazi skinheads. With a set of new friends and some good luck, Alex quickly adapts to their intense lifestyle. But with that lifestyle comes a price as the actions caused by Alex while in the group will end up putting him in further jeopardy with the law. It's a true and honest tale about one man's journey through hell and back, and having the choice to either live and learn from his mistakes or continue to suffer the consequences for his arrogant actions.I picked this book up a few days after starting Columbia in downtown Chicago, as I was anxious to read a real work from an actual professor who teaches at my school. I was blown away immediately when starting this unpredictable and emotionally charged tale. The pages literally turn themselves as De Grazia knows how to tell one incredible story that is involving and thought provoking. He's able to create flawed characters that you'll end up liking in some way. He doesn't cut corners and "sugar-coat" his story in any shape or form. He took a lot of risks with this story, and it all paid off. The thing that sticks out most about Don De Grazia's writing is his characters that he has created. Alex Verdi is a perfect example of the flawed hero. He starts out as a young and foolish boy to come out of it all a man with bruises and scars that could help him learn from his experiences. And it really can go either way with Alex. We hope that he comes out of the tale okay and has learned something from his many obstacles, but the truth is that we don't know until we finish reading the very last page. That's what makes this excellent work worth reading and that's what keeps the pages turning by themselves. It is extremely hard to put down this book once you begin it. "American Skin" was a complete and pleasant surprise to me. I never knew what was going to happen next and I was always intrigued along the way. This is a very memorable debut from a writer that shows real promise. I can't wait to see what he comes up with next. If you're looking for a story with great character development, heart-breaking conflicts, and overall excellent writing, then this is something you should definitely consider picking up. I can say without any kind of doubt that I will be re-reading this book again. Long live the Degreaser! -Michael Crane
Rating:
Summary: Compelling and Brilliant
Review: I loved this book. It was one of the most gripping and compelling books I have read in a long time and I really wish that I could give it five stars. The momentum of the book really seemed to take a hit when Alex discovers something about Marie (which in the interest of giving something away I shall not reveal) and it never really quite recovers to the same level as it had before. This is the reason why it is four stars but it should really be a four and a half star book. Kudos to Don De Grazie for a book I would have finished in twenty-four hours if not for drunken roommates coming in (it turned out to be about 26 hours). Shame on all the publishers who rejected this in lieu of some thinly veiled autobiographical trash.
Rating:
Summary: Unforgettable
Review: I read this book about 4-5 years ago. I saved it thinking I would read it again one day when I forgot the story. The problem is that I can't forget the story. It was one of the best books I have ever read. I wish I could forget so I could read it again. I think it would make a great movie if the screen play is written as the book is and not altered like so many good stories.
Rating:
Summary: American Skin: The New Face of Punk-Rock Literature
Review: In the tradition of Holden Caulfied and Huck Finn, Don De Grazia gives the literary world an unlikely hero, Alex Verdi, whose search for a sense of security leads him into the dark and previously uncharted depths of an American sub-culture. Bomber jackets, Doc Martin boots, shaved heads, and tattoos mark the underground punk society that the majority of America prefers to ignore if not condemn. De Grazia's debut book, American Skin, however, illuminates the trials and dangers of negotiating this scene while still managing to keep it human and even somewhat alluring. Not only is this a solid piece of meaningful fiction, given its themes of alienation, the power of friendship, and the quest for knowledge, it is also tremendously enlightening. I'm willing to bet, in fact, most of this country is not even aware that there is a faction of skinheads existing amongst our working class that is dedicated to the destruction of their Nazi counterpart.
Alex Verdi, alone in the world after his parents were both arrested on drug charges, finds himself living on the streets of Chicago and working as a degreaser in a factory. Soon after meeting Tim and his gang of Skins he is taken in and given a room above The Gorgon, a nightclub that doubles as their headquarters. Clad in Tim's old jacket and a freshly shaved head, Alex begins his story, which is wrought with wild nights and violent fights. Alex, however, is no low-life thug. His voice is courageous and deftly infused with humor and soul. This is not just a blue-collar coming-of-age tale. It's an exploration of decency and depth within the heart of one man searching for both. Without any sense of shyness American Skin maneuvers through the touchy issues of racism, classism, and violence in America's society. And still, beneath it all, there is a message of love that even the most closed-minded reader is forced to see.
DeGrazia's writing is as sharp as the broken bottles his characters combat on a daily basis. Though Alex's greatest weapon is his intellect, he too does his fair share of punching, kicking, and even bleeding. And despite his righteous attempts to defeat the Nazi Skins of Chicago and the biased policemen who are more violent than himself, he does not always come out on top. Consequently, he finds himself by court order in an army boot camp where he and Tim must adjust their mentality to survive an entirely new but equally difficult set of social circumstances, which test both their endurance and the strength of their friendship. It is there Alex finds himself drifting further and further into a world of books-Ayn Rand particularly seems to grab his attention-while Tim remains glued to his working-class Skinhead roots.
At this point, American Skin takes a strange and heady turn as Alex takes leave of Tim in order to pursue his studies at Northwestern University. Although Alex, who readily begins to quote from Kerouac, Checkov, de Tocqueville, and Sherwood Anderson, believes he has finally found a home on this grassy campus, it is painfully obviously that he is an outsider there. For a brief moment, while we as readers wade through his academic musings and rather awkward romance with one wealthy young Abby, De Grazia's narrative becomes slightly contrived. By attempting to morph his heroic Skinhead into an academic, this book-for the first and only time-becomes a bit heavy-handed.
Fortunately, De Grazia has the good sense to quickly return us to the violent hard-to-swallow but poignant and important reality of Chicago that works so well for him. At this point in the story, however, Tim is in prison, and in order to stay alive there has been forced to join the ranks of his sworn enemies, the Aryan Brotherhood. His choice is stark but far from clear. As a testament to De Grazia's writing, the turmoil over the situation that both Tim and Alex feel swirls like a tornado over each page. And still De Grazia chucks us into one final conflict of ethics and strength that brings the book to a fervent and heart-wrenching close.
The controversial title and the various riotous images it may provoke in most high-minded readers should not get in the way of anyone opening up this book, for it is not one of hate but of unmatched love. American Skin is well worth the tumultuous read, which is intriguing, intense, fast, and at times even laugh-out-loud funny.
Rating:
Summary: "Ah, well...it's funny the way things go"
Review: The underground life of a teenager in Chicago told by Don De Grazia is an on the edge of your seat type of book that can't be put down. Don beautifully relates to the character and shows true talent in American Skin The main character, Alex Verdi, gets knocked and thrown around like a rag doll in this book. Trying to survive on the streets after his family is torn apart by a drug bust, he lives a life that feels so real you can feel the pain he goes through. After trying to make a living on his own he searches for friendly grounds in the city which is quiet hard to come by in Chicago. In one scene, he's simply standing on a corner having small talk with a group of kids about his age. Then suddenly, they beat him, mistaking him for one of their rival gang members. After being beat and laying bloody dead on the ground someone offers a helping hand. He moves in with his new buddy Tim and lives the life of a gangster. His life takes wild and crazy turns during this very unpredictable story. Changes in his lifestyle include gangs, drugs, sex, violence and partying... De Grazia has done it all in American Skin. The ending will truly make your jaw drop in this surreal story and just when you think you've figured it out, the unthinkable happens. In American Skin anything can happen, ANYTHING!
Rating:
Summary: "Ah, well...it's funny the way things go"
Review: The underground life of a teenager in Chicago told by Don De Grazia is an on the edge of your seat type of book that can't be put down. Don beautifully relates to the character and shows true talent in American Skin The main character, Alex Verdi, gets knocked and thrown around like a rag doll in this book. Trying to survive on the streets after his family is torn apart by a drug bust, he lives a life that feels so real you can feel the pain he goes through. After trying to make a living on his own he searches for friendly grounds in the city which is quiet hard to come by in Chicago. In one scene, he's simply standing on a corner having small talk with a group of kids about his age. Then suddenly, they beat him, mistaking him for one of their rival gang members. After being beat and laying bloody dead on the ground someone offers a helping hand. He moves in with his new buddy Tim and lives the life of a gangster. His life takes wild and crazy turns during this very unpredictable story. Changes in his lifestyle include gangs, drugs, sex, violence and partying... De Grazia has done it all in American Skin. The ending will truly make your jaw drop in this surreal story and just when you think you've figured it out, the unthinkable happens. In American Skin anything can happen, ANYTHING!
Rating:
Summary: Very true
Review: This book while some of the things the main charater goes through may not be realistic, the setting is. Every place mentioned in the book was a real store or club. All the groups mentioned were real groups that took part in the Chicago skin/punk scene of the late 80's early 90's. Names have been changed but everything is based on real people/places. A true look into what many punks/skins had to deal with in a city that is very unforgiving and I can speak from experiance on this. So if you want to get a feel for what the Chicago punk/skin was like during the late 80's and early 90's I recommend reading this book.
Rating:
Summary: Very well written and very touching.
Review: This is a great story about youth, maturity, excess, violence, brotherhood, and unity.
The character, "Alex" in the story is someone you bond with right from the minute he tells his tale and he sets off after his parents are arrested for selling marijuana for the streets of Chicago. His fellow skins are also very inspiring and have their moments. The character goes through a lot of self-redemption and asks a lot of questions about life and where he fits in.
This is a modern day Huck Finn like adventure. It never dies and you can never put it down. The author, Alex DeGrazia, did an amazing job on this book and I wish he'd write another like this or a sequel to it.
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