Review by partinobodycular -- Gringo

[partinobodycular]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Gringo" by Dan "Tito" Davis.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Until I read Gringo by Dan “Tito” Davis, I didn’t know how much I could admire a fugitive. Tito’s story of a life on the run is fascinating, and while I knew how it would ultimately end, I was rooting for him the whole time. His adventures are so outlandish, they must be true--they fall into that contradictory space of being too unbelievable to be made up.

Tito started selling drugs while he was in college. He had a lucrative business, and the drugs he sold weren’t actually illegal. It did, however, make him an enemy of the law. He managed to stay out of trouble for the most part, although he did spend some time in jail. Then, one of his old contacts snitched on him for a crime Tito didn’t even commit. Knowing that he had no hope of a fair trial, he went on the run.

For over a decade, Tito moved around South America. He spent much of that time in equal danger of capture and death. He works to evade kidnappers, hit men, and above all, the attention of the police. Many of the friends he makes aren’t even aware that he is a fugitive; if they were, they could sell him out to the FBI. He spends most of his first year in Medellin, Colombia, under the protection of a high-ranking member of a drug cartel. When he gets tired of the constant danger, Tito moves on, using his situation as an excuse to explore South America and have as many adventures as possible. In Venezuela he starts a real estate venture and falls in love. He hopes to settle down and enjoy his new life, but unfortunately his luck doesn't go on forever.

I loved reading Gringo. It showed life in countries I have always been warned away from. While the dangers of Colombia, for example, are very real, Gringo shows that the people are real, as well. By no means does it glorify a life on the run, but it does show you that there’s more to people than what the law sees.

I give Gringo 3 out of 4 stars. It is well-told and well-written, although it does contain scattered grammatical errors. I felt connected to Tito, and could feel his connections with the many people he met. It was an eye-opening read for me, and I couldn’t get enough.

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Gringo
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