4 out of 4 stars
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There is no praise I could say that hasn’t already been said about this book. However, if it means anything, as someone who has read lengthy memoirs of celebrities, domestic abuse survivors, politicians, and all sorts of interesting people, Gringo: My Life on the Edge as an International Fugitive by Dan “Tito” Davis and Peter Conti ranks among one of the most memorable books I have ever read.
Tito begins his story by telling us about his childhood in South Dakota, where at age 10, he started working and earned thousands of dollars through horse-racing. By the time he was in college he was enticed by a White Cross pill he received from a friend; the pill was popular among college kids who cram for their exams, thus there was a lucrative market for it. Before long, Tito became a supplier and got into what ultimately became a million-dollar business of manufacturing and selling white crosses.
When he found the love of his life, he pampered his lady with luxurious dates, gifts, and plane rides (he has a pilot license) long before Christian Grey made the latter cool. That became his first downfall and he was left with virtually nothing after his time in prison. In this memoir, Tito has also provided us with a great deal of insight about how cartels work and how it can ruin a person’s life, just as much as corrupt authorities could.
Once you get started in the fast-paced story of his life from early childhood to his turbulent adulthood, you would never need a white cross pill to engross you on the chapters of the book. Neither would you need any hard drugs because the story itself is gritty, edgy, and incredibly fascinating from start to end. There were minimal typographical errors in Gringo, and they could be easily overlooked and forgotten because we would be too focused on everything that the author has to say, page after page. Afterward, you may find yourself with bloodshot eyes, a dry mouth, and a high pulse rate, not from drugs – but from not being able to put down your Kindle device or paperback.
Like any well-written memoir, the author took us with him on every trail; we have experienced his every emotion – particularly his anxieties and frustrations. I could not imagine someone else to collaborate with Tito Davis in delivering his harrowing, but otherwise incredible experience than Peter Conti. The book was filled with tension and it gripped me from start to end at varying levels. One moment we would think that Tito has somewhat figured his life out, then the next, we were swept away again in the dusty roads with unexpected danger that might await at every turn.
The rave reviews for this book will give one the thrill and excitement to read it, but that pales in comparison when one has begun actually reading the book and realizing that you will truly be sucked into a wild ride – sort of like Tito’s experience en route to Guatemala; you will be shocked, appalled, disgusted, and ultimately, when it’s over, you couldn’t wait to start anew; and as readers, it meant yearning for more. If this book would be turned into a movie or television series, Gringo will put all the narco series to shame. Four out of four stars.
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Gringo
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