Official Review: My Life in the Sunshine

[Imperio]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "My Life in the Sunshine" by DeLawrence Robertson.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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“You can’t be an angel while working for devils. It’s not going to work.”

This sentence perfectly summarizes the grim reality for the author in My Life in the Sunshine. In My Life in the Sunshine by DeLawrence Robertson, the cards seem to be stacked against the young African-American citizens of Los Angeles. As the reader, we follow the life of the author from his childhood to the early stages of his career. We learn about his absent father in his childhood, the people who led him down the wrong path in high-school, and the incredibly vicious encounters with law enforcement in his early adulthood.

Though this may sound strange, my favorite element of the book was the colloquial tone the author used to tell his story. The colloquial tone gives a much-needed lighthearted feeling to the unfortunate events at hand. The tone also reveals endearing aspects of his personality and gives the reader an insight into the culture of South Central Los Angeles. For instance, the author ironically uses “Great!!!” to soften the blow of yet another unfortunate tragedy in his life and “homie” to give an indication of the local slang and culture. The tone the author uses to tell his story simply makes it enjoyable to read.

Despite the conversational, laid-back tone, though, the events that unfold are still unbearably sad. As a reader who has only really heard about the conditions that lower-income African-Americans have lived in, I did not really truly understand those conditions until I read My Life in the Sunshine.

I also did not truly grasp the police brutality that African-Americans face. The author wrote of how he was simply walking down the street before being jumped by cops, beaten with batons, and accused of trying to steal a nearby car. In another heinous incident, someone the author knew slipped off a ledge as a result of being chased into a parking structure by police officers. Hanging on by his hands, the man begged the officers to help pull him up. Instead of helping him, though, an officer said he hoped that the young black man would die and stomped on his fingers. The man plummeted down 3 stories and broke both of his legs.

With anecdotes like these, the author makes you think about injustices that are important to think about. Additionally, this book is clearly very relevant, especially during these times. For these reasons, I rate My Life in the Sunshine 3 out of 4 stars. The only reason I am taking off a star is because of the grammatical errors found in the book. There was nothing I disliked about this book and with some editing, this book would be excellent. I do, however, want to report that there is profanity in this book. The author also mentions his religious beliefs.

Overall, this book offers a special look into the trials and triumphs of an individual who persevered despite all odds. I would recommend this book to those who are interested in educating themselves about the racial and socioeconomic injustices in America. Give this book a try. I am glad I did.

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My Life in the Sunshine
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[Teele]

Seems like a good book. Thanks for your review.

[Chiagbanwe]

My! The book seems great. It seems to point out the injustices meted out to African Americans in a very clear way.
Thanks for the review.
I think I will find this book a great read

[Wy_Bertram]

It sounds quite heavy, but compelling all the same. Thank you for your review.

[Dominik_G]

As you said, the theme of My Life in the Sunshine is highly relevant today. Not only that, but it sounds like a heavy and gripping true story as well. Thank you for your review!

[Priyanka2304]

The concept of the book is quite relatable. Thanks for the review.