Andres Alfredo Gomez

IRL Redneck Lore

Revisado: 08-10-24

I loved the books fictional tale but nonfictional historical facts. Demon Copperhead reads as a memoir as the main character tells of of his childhood in rural Appalachia. The author writes Lee County’s history so well that it affects with the characters past and future, playing on the saying “the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree.” The book makes you see the darkness and failures of Child Protective Services, corrupt medical practices, and sabotaged public education systems within rural communities in America. Seeing these systems from the eyes of a child growing up and having to survive in them makes you want to take action and repair them for other children like Demon, to want to demand justice from those in power to profit in having communities in ruin.

I loved how the book also mentions in multiple sections that entertainment in nonrural areas depict residents of these areas as hillbillies who know nothing, and are used as comedic relief without wondering how that makes actual people feel. It goes on tangents highlighting the fact that we don’t know how or what rural Americans feel on issues, their thought processes, or even the history behind what has put them in their current situation. If you’re a city slicker this book serves as a stepping stone to some of rural America and how consider their backgrounds as well. Many of them have been and still are taken advantage of by the American systems, they need help, they’re people too.

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Great Story, Mid Descriptions

Revisado: 08-03-24

I understand this book is suspense and entertainment from 1992 but I can’t forgive it for overusing not being able to get a hold of someone as its main source of suspense.

I felt like the most common phrase in this book was “where is…” in order to bring suspense and create some excitement for its readers. It felt very tacky whilst waiting for some important plot points or character development to be revealed.

I enjoyed the story very much, but there were so many moments that were unnecessary, specifically about the main character’s drug use and sleeping habits. Moments of his life that didn’t add to his character development or overall plot. The winter they spent in Hampton felt as if they needed to reach a page goal or wanted to an excuse to describe (very well I admit) the winter landscape of the setting.

The authors descriptions of the various settings were lacking, I see no point in lying to myself. I had a difficult time in imagining an average of 60% of the scenes and people they described.

TLDR for me; Go for the story, don’t expect in depth characters, skip the winter at Hampton college, focus on group elements and how individuals act in their position in those groups (ex, Richard being the new student, Julian being a figure for the students and his faults in their actions)

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Patron of Lost Causes

Revisado: 07-30-24

Review of “A Little Life” by Hanya Yanagihara

Idk how to review books, so this is a summary/review for me.

This book dives deep into trauma, pain, and the messy behaviors we have towards human relationships. It’s about four friends, but really, it focuses on Jude and his traumatic past. TLDR; Trauma sticks with you, no matter how much love or success you have.

Yanagihara doesn’t hold back. She shows us that trauma isn’t something you just get over, it stays with you, affects your every move, and dictates how you live.

Friendship and love are strong, but the book shows their limits. Even with the support of his friends, Jude’s trauma and self-destructive behaviors consistently isolate him. No matter how much you care for someone, you can’t fully understand or fix their pain.

A Little Life makes you think about identity and self-worth. It shows that no matter how successful or loved you are, inner demons can still control your life. Jude’s story is a strong example of what it takes to live with a traumatic past.

But it’s not just about suffering. This book also talks about endurance and small moments of joy and connection that make life worth living. It reminds us that everyone carries invisible scars and that sometimes, just being there for someone is the most significant thing you can do.

This book is heavy and emotionally draining, but it’s worth it. You will appreciate the complexity of human experiences and the impact of love and friendship, even when they can’t solve everything. I love it for its raw honesty and the empathy it fosters for those who carry unseen burdens.

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Am not white

Revisado: 07-06-24

Idk how to review books so this is a summary/review for me.

This book is about being Black in America and the struggle that comes with it. Coates writes this as a letter to his son, sharing his experiences and the realities of race in the U.S.

Coates tells his experience gives us three topics, each one hitting on different aspects of the Black experience:

Part I: The Question of the Body
This part is all about the physical and emotional toll of being Black. Coates talks about how the Black body is constantly under threat, from childhood to adulthood. He shares his own memories and the constant awareness of racial violence, from inside the group to outside. (I’d rather break my children’s bodies than have anyone else break them)

Part II: The Dream
Coates criticizes the American Dream and how it’s a fantasy for many minority/Black Americans. He talks about his time at Howard University, calling it “The Mecca,” a place where he experienced strength and pride in his identity. This part contrasts the idealized version of America with the real, often harsh, experience of Black people.

Part III: The Struggle
Coates reflects on his role as a father and his hopes and fears for his son. He talks about the history of slavery and segregation, and the ever ongoing fight for equality. (Black people are told to be twice as good and talk half as much)

Themes and Ideas

• The Black Body: Always under threat, always vulnerable.
• The American Dream: A myth for many Black Americans.
• Identity and Community: Finding strength in Black culture and history.


Read this to understand the Black experience in America, but read it twice to really understand it.

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No dumbbell left uncurled

Revisado: 07-05-24

Idk how to review books so this is a summary/review for me.


This book is about men and men’s ideological history. Where do men get their beliefs for masculinity? This book offers readers rich historical perspectives from classical sculptors interpretations of Roman and Greek mythology to the designers and marketers of action hero’s and artistic and non-artisic motives.

In addition to the historical archive this book becomes the author uses personal experiences as a gay man traversing what it means to be a ‘man’ and sheds light on the topic. It is eye opening.

Childhood, adolescence, adulthood, in all stages of life men are asking themselves what is means to be a man and society asks them “how manly are you?” Many men follow a hyper masculine trope that the author, well wrote a whole book about. As he walks us through what i describe the history of ‘men wanting to be masculine’ I found myself seeing that muscles, looks, and wanting to be bigger than the other guy is not necessarily what makes one a man.

This book is a solid choice for any man who wants to understand what gender on a spectrum is. By exposing the audience to the historical accounts of the many Hercules statues, and bodybuilders in an era where their physique was unordinary men are left realizing that the physiques they are worshiping and dying to emulate (quite literally) are on the far end of the masculine presenting spectrum.

I love this book.

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Human emotion, human reflection

Revisado: 06-23-24

My review is more for my reflection of the title than a summary and praise of it…

As a straight man who struggles to get into touch with his own feelings and put them into words to make sense of them this book is transformative in understanding the struggles and challenges queer men face when approaching love and life.

The authors in this book are extremely reflective on their sexual identity, social status, and race allowing them to give outsiders (me) a look into their world experience which is vastly different from my own. As a first generation Mexican American I see some similarities between Native struggles and our own as we face the challenge of staying with our roots while bettering our own life conditions. I’ve learned new terms such as colonial capitalism that I was not aware of and its effects on Naive life in Canada. In this book I learned how dismissive those who are benefactors of colonial capitalism were when it came into conversation.

What I’m taking out of this book the most is the translation of the raw emotions these authors felt when dealing with their love life. The toll it took on them to be with their partners and to struggles they faced when looking for love that straight people don’t have to consider. Overall it’s a great book on humans being human as they struggle dealing with the social class and sexuality they were given.

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