Honor Few, Fear None: The Life and Times of a Mongol by Ruben Cavazos

Product Details

Synopsis

When Ruben Cavazos changed his clothes at daybreak, he was no longer a CAT scan technician at the University of Southern California Medical Center. He became the man known—and, in a few special cases, feared—as Doc, international president of the Mongols, the fastest-growing and most closely watched organization of its kind in the United States.

In reality, the Mongols are a tightly knit band of brothers devoted in equal measure to their club, their fellow Mongols, and their freedom. They live to enjoy life, party, and travel the open road. Above all, they demand respect. When pushed too far, Mongols join together to push back. Just ask the Hells Angels, the Ukrainian mafia, the Mexican mafia, and the U.S. government, all of whom have tested the Mongols' resolve.

In Honor Few, Fear None, Doc is ready, for the first time, to share the stories of the Mongols' continuing battle to survive and thrive against incredible odds—and sometimes terrible violence.

School Library Journal

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

Biography

Ruben Toledo is a painter, sculptor, and illustrator. His artwork has appeared in Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Details, Paper, Visionaire, L'Uomo Vogue, and the New York Times, among many others.