Honor few, fear none : the life & times of a Mongol /

With Hells Angel Ralph Sonny Barger and the Bandidos' Edward Winterhalder (see The Assimilation, reviewed in this issue), Cavazos is one of the most important figures in the biker subculture Americans simultaneously fear and celebrate. His autobiography necessarily constitutes a general history of the California-born Mongols, the club that was infiltrated by ATF agent William Queen (see his Under and Alone, 2005) and also the opposing force in the infamous 2002 shootout with the Hells Angels at Harrah's Laughlin Casino. Like Winterhalder and Barger, Cavazos, a CAT-scan technician by day, revels in the freewheeling biker lifestyle and brotherhood of the road. His account of the biker life, like Winterhalder's, contains plenty of cliff-hanging moments and perceptive observations about gangster culture while hipping readers who erroneously surmise that the Hells Angels are the whole outlaw-biker story. Rich, disquieting, ominous, and life affirming, an excellent selection for visceral entertainment reading and serious true-crime study.--Tribby, Mike Copyright 2008 Booklist

Adult/High School-Cavazos had a rough start and continues to live a life with rough edges. Raised by a single father in East L.A., he was welcomed into the Avenues, a prominent gang, before he even knew the difference between a criminal life and a straight one. "Doc" had few chances to escape the violence around him. After obtaining a license to work as a radiologist and an eye-opening turn in county jail, he left gang life and entered the world of motorcycle clubs. At first glance, readers find the two worlds not dissimilar, and cops would certainly agree, but Cavazos has worked for more than a decade to transform his motorcycle club, the Mongols, and cleanse it of drugs, stealing, and roughing up women. He wants to ride with a group, not a gang, and from this book readers learn of the roadblocks he has had to face in order to turn the Mongols into a respected club. Those looking for "lemonade out of lemons" tales of gang survival and redemption should turn to Luis Rodriguez's Always Running (S & S, 1994). Including a smattering of black-and-white photos, Honor Few, Fear None could easily grab the attention of reluctant male readers and fill the need for gritty urban stories. Since Cavazos uses simple phrasing and tells a gripping story, his book would work well for hi/lo reading. Because of its clear structure and order, teachers could use it as a tool for helping students construct their own biographies.-Sarah Krygier, Solano County Library, Fairfield, CA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.