4 out of 4 stars
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How do you survive in uncertain situations? What would you do to live in a world where nothing is assured, and no one cares about what becomes of you? These questions were on my mind as I read Young Americans by Peter S. Rush. The book is a story of how people try to survive the best way they know.
Tommy Logan is a young man who lives his life freely as he deems fit. He doesn't want to take orders from anyone or any form of authority; he thinks they are all forms of 'an organized piece of sh*t.' He deals on drugs in Tampa and wants to make a lot of money before he stops.
He is introduced to Harry Burr by his girlfriend, Sandy. Sandy was from a wealthy home, has all the good things of life, and wants to enjoy life and be free. Harry is a big man who made money through drug dealing. He seems wealthy and influential, and he can pull some stunts to get whatever he wants. He needs a partner who has some discipline, but Tommy is young, impatient, and wants to make a lot of money quickly. Well, they pull off a deal from down south, and everything went smoothly. Tommy feels it's time to pull ranks with Harry. Is his experience in Tampa enough to deal with an ex-con like Harry? Tommy embarks on a life journey that he has no idea where it leads.
The beginning pages of this book got my mind working immediately. The book began with a prologue that gave an insight into what was to happen later. I was confused a little bit when I saw the different dates on the prologue and chapter one. However, my interest was piqued, and it never dwindled until I finished the book.
One of the things I liked about the book was how the author talked about specific social issues such as sexual abuse of children, alcoholism, drugs, parenting, societal rules, organizations, and even religion. He used this story to show how young people become damaged and make the wrong choices due to negative experiences from abuse and bad parenting. I also enjoyed the author's writing style — it was simple with detailed descriptions that painted beautiful pictures in my mind. For instance, I was able to see how fat Harry and his brother, George, were in my mind's eye. This was what I liked most about this book.
The reader would have a great time with this book as they would be taken through the adventurous and dangerous yet inspiring stories of Tommy's life. The book's only downside was the gory scenes of fighting and using different weapons to hurt people. Also, the explicit descriptions of drug abuse and sex scenes might offend some categories of readers. People who would be offended by these violent and sexual scenes could take a pass on this book. The book also contained many profane words. However, if you enjoy a fast-paced and adventurous gangster-like story and wouldn't mind the vulgarities, you'd have a swell time reading this book.
I would rate Young Americans four out of four stars. There were a few grammatical errors, but not enough to take the book to the gallows. Hence, it was professionally edited.
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Young Americans
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