Freedom: Credos from the Road

On February,2007,I submitted a review on "Hell's Angles" by Sonny Barger; where he writes all about his life as the leader of The Hell's Angles. In this book, Barger reveals the ideals and character that enabled him to remain at the top of a lifestyle that is as tough as any imaginable. While few would want to emulate the life Barger chose to live,the principles that he followed are no different than those followed by others that attain and hold onto the heights that others have followed;regardless of the "career" they have chosen. It is hard to believe, that the very same principles Sonny Barger discusses,are essentially the same found in books,seminars or whatever;of the leading motivational gurus. Barger is a very coherent communicator and when he explains these principles through the eyes and life of a Biker;there is no doubt left as to what he is saying.Berger shows that ;while the media portrays the world of the Hell's Angles as a world that prevails by muggings,fistfights,extreme loyalities,abuses of every kind,respect,strength,determination,etc.; being and maintaining leadership in a Motorcycle Gang ;differ from being a Corporate ,or any other,leader; in details..not principles. The book is presented as 50 Principles,each different and distinct . Here is just an indication of the principles Berger discusses; "Treat Me Good,I'll Treat You Better.Treat Me Bad,I'll Treat You Worse." "An Organization Can't Be All Chiefs." "Stay Alert In The Pack.What Happens To You Happens To The Rider Behind You." "If You Want To Travel Fast,Travel Light." "Early Is On Time,On Time Is Late." "Cut Down On Criminals By Cutting Down On Laws."If You Can't Change The Players,Then Change The Game." "Learn From The Past,Don't Live There." "Don't Live For A Good Funeral. "When You Got Nothing To Prove,Just Put It On Cruise Control." "Individuality Is The Most Precious Freedom. "You Gotta Learn To Listen,You Gotta Listen To Learn." Not the sort of thing one would expect from the Leader of The Hell's Angles Motorcycle Club ;but impossible to dispute.

This book wil make you think about yourself. Sonny out did himself with this one. Not a very big book in size but a monster in content!

I would recommend this book to any father that wants to teach his son or his daughter fifty standards to live by. This book give us fifty princilals that should be taught to our young. Sonny gives us hints on everything from how to deal with Bullies, to how to handle yourself if someone wants your woman. He talks about our political situation, he talks about helmet laws and he also talks about drugs, alcohol and smoking. It doesn't matter if you live in the motorcycle community or if your just another citizen, this book will help you teach your teens a code of honor we all should live by. Great job Sonny

I just got this book and love it. Sonny Barger has taken his years of hard living and forged a gem from it in wise words and lessons learned. Although I don't share his opinion of law enforcement, since we do need them around, I do share his love of country, making family of friends when your own family isn't there and never has been, his ability to keep the faith with his club and friends and get it back in return. As a fellow freedom lover, I like this book and wish a lot of folks would read it and take from it something to use in their own life. Make the best of this life and don't take any, well, you know what. Best to Sonny. If he writes any more books, I'm reading them. He's good at this.

Having over 22 years in the military and possessing old-school common sense, I thoroughly enjoyed Sonny's book. In the final analysis, it does not matter what you think of Sonny personally. Set those thoughts, good or bad, aside. What is important is recognizing his powerful persona. Here's a man who has the courage to live life the way he sees fit, irregardless of the consequences. How many of you have the same courage? The reality is, very few. The question then becomes, "What can be learned from his experiences?" I say, a lot. Today, common sense is a very rare bird. In this book, Sonny shoots his thoughts on patriotism, leadership, interaction and personal growth straight from the hip. They are well-written and direct. You'll find no politically-correct mumbo-jumbo here. Politically-correct BS, by the way, is what is ruining this country. I'm not going into the book's content; you need to read it for yourself. Although I do not agree 100% with everything in his book, What I will say is that as one who has worked in the corporate, private and military sector, both as a worker and a manager, one can leave with some new thoughts, new ideas and hopefully grasp the concept of a logical thought process. I have two college degrees in management and would like to see this book as required reading. Remember, an intelligent person does not mimic that which he sees, hears or reads. He absorbs information (learns), processes, evaluates and then decides what course of action best suits his needs, desires and environment.