Good old Gangs

      When I was growing up, I was forced to read books, even though I didn't want to.  I hated every minute of it, wondering like "WTF" man (I had a colorful vocabulary at a young age, due to no parental vision with explicit content)!!!  But my main point is, that I was glad I was forced to though.  It helped me greatly with comprehension skills, and as a child you absorb information easier than someone older.  Explaining that, I felt I needed a good book to read on the plane, coming home from a long trip of training, eating great food, and making great friends in Japan.  I'm at the airport, and I come across a book that catches my eye.  in boldgolden bronze letters, the title reads, Confessions of a Yakuza.  For those who don't know, yakuza is a traditional old school gang and hoodlums, who live their day by day basis through pure gambling.  For some reason, I favor how corruption can be played off smoothly and planned, and somehow they do what they got to do because its their way of life.
     So the story is in the interview of a Eiji Ijichi, a former yakuza boss talking about his life to a doctor who listens to his story with his few final months of life.  The book explores through the beginnings of Eiji's life, growing up running away from home and living with his uncle.  He goes through secret operations of smuggling while obtaining his first job, and like any curious young adult, sees the exploits of the world, with prostitution, smuggling, and gambling.  As he learns the game of the trade, he also does it in Japan's most lively entertainment area of the time, also dealing with a natural disaster earthquake that was tremendously devastating.  His tale is filled with tons of vividly imaginable pictures that will either disgust or interest to your likings.
     In my opinion, if you take an interest in how a gang leader becomes to be even in a most foreign land and how all gangs can relate that come with it; such as respect, honor, humility, and even that bloodshed, than this is a autobiography you would take a look at.  If you reach the end of the book, you would think of a man as someone you would like to be able to meet one day.  but since that's not possible, the account taken for in the book will do quite well for a substitution for a meeting with him.