3 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
“I have worked with and/or written about mob bosses, rock stars, boxing champions, Hollywood big shots, Ivy League intellectuals and Oscar-winning actors. I can honestly say no one has lived a more fascinating life than Dan “Tito” Davis.”
“He’s a man of his word, the highest compliment I can pay someone.”
- Peter Conti, Hollywood screenwriter, and actor
Considering GRINGO: MY LIFE ON THE EDGE AS AN INTERNATIONAL FUGITIVE by Dan "Tito" Davis with Peter Conti is in the non-fiction category, we ought to believe Conti, right? We have to assume both gentlemen are ‘men of their word’. I want to believe that too, because if they are – as this book is quite unbelievable – then you better stop reading this review, and whatever it is you’re doing and go get this masterpiece.
Dan “Tito” Davis alias Judson “Judd” Allen alias Charlie Livingston III was born in South Dakota. His parents came from abject poverty. His motivation was to change this situation; or problem. Ed Buanno was not your ordinary college kid. Together, at University of Nevada Las Vegas, they started trafficking white crosses. At 24, in the 80’s, he was making $200k a week (which equates to about a million today). Moreover, they actually found a way to make the deals ‘legal’ and ‘lethal’.
Let’s start at legal. Tito’s life was built around what’s legal and illegal. As a matter of fact, he was a fugitive simply for the fact that the legal system wasn’t really founded on truth and facts but more on motive and testimonies. Consequently, he had to loose family ties and learn Spanish. When ‘The Party’s Over’ – which is the last chapter of this exemplary piece – he was as lawful as they come. We wouldn’t say this about most of his acquaintances, who apparently were free. In this mostly corrupt globe, does it matter if one is within the law, especially if that person can buy or change it?
To say Tito's life and endeavors were lethal would be an understatement. Check this, Dan has wedded thrice, traveled more than three continents without proper credentials, got a face-lift and made friends on both sides of the law that go all the way up the food chain. We’re talking playing poker at Comisario Duran’s apartment, one of the top members of the Venezuelan secret police and staying at Julio’s finca, a very high ranking goon in the Medellin cartel associated with the infamous Pablo Escobar; just to mention the very least. Trust me, you need to read the whole shebang for yourself!
As if this isn’t enough, Tito was a licensed commercial pilot, an award winning jockey – how many races? Maybe more than a hundred – a wrestler in school, a tutor in prison, and get this, a wind/kite-surfer in El Yaque. Matter-of-factly, he went ahead and won himself Venezuela National Masters Kite Surfing title during the controversial President Hugo Chavez rule. I can’t even begin to make you understand how riveting GRINGO can get. In regards to this, I highly recommend it and rate it 3 out of 4 stars. The only reason I’m not giving it a 4 is the fact that I found errors here and there. Suffice it to say such didn’t affect my enjoyable read.
I particularly like the fact that Geiger actually did rehabilitate the author; he was sober and didn’t use drugs henceforth. Moreover you’re guaranteed to learn a Spanish word or two. Tito did actually make something of himself, even after losing homes, planes, apartment buildings and oil wells to his first wife Lisa. In fact, he’s shrewd enough to utilize some of the allies he made while behind bars to try forge a new life outside the US. ‘Go south young man’, Chapter six, is pretty captivating. The Guatemala border bus ride; the coincidental meet up with former jailbird and phony federale Maria Rosa and going back to third-grade; another bus ride that played porno on public monitors – and it doesn’t end there!
The author broke 2 key rules in his “Do-not” list. He went against Rule #7 - ‘Do not make emotional decisions’- by falling for Mary Luz in Venezuela, chasing her to Germany, marrying her in Cuba and honeymoon in India; I know, it’s out of this world! Rule #2 which stated ‘Do not socialize with anyone from my first life’ was broken when he kept contact with his best pal. Paul Holt was loyal but it was this link that cost him his freedom, other’s careers and even lives. I guess these are among the few things that made him gringo stupido.
******
Gringo
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like DogoMulla's review? Post a comment saying so!
More like adventurous. If only life was that unpredictable! Thanks for dropping by.
