4 out of 4 stars
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“Thou Shalt Not Lie or Frame Thy f****g Friend” (Davis, 2016, loc. 811). This quote, taken from Gringo: My Life on the Edge as an International Fugitive, summarizes the incredible true story of the author Dan “Tito” Davis, a fugitive from the United States government who was framed for a crime that he didn’t commit. Escaping from justice is never a solution, but what would you do if the next thirty years of your life would be spent in a small cold prison cell? Would you stay or would you run?
Born in South Dakota in 1953, Dan “Tito” Davis grew up in a small town, where sports and outside activities were the basis of the simple lives of the people there. In high school, he was a prominent wrestler, but his numerous talents led him to become a professional horse jockey at the age of nineteen. Once in college, Dan, longing to make easy money, started to sell a legal drug called White Crosses to his collegemates. As his business grew, so did his greed. He moved to the University of Nevada in Las Vegas, where he started to sell weed as well. His luck didn’t last, and Dan was framed with two pounds of meth by one of his friends. With the DEA on his tail, Dan left the USA in 1994 and went to Mexico to start his journey as a fugitive. In South America he found protection under the Medellin Cartel, that gave him a new identity. Trying to escape his inevitable arrest, Dan lived thirteen years amongst the crime and poverty of South America.
I couldn’t stop reading this book. Dan Davis caught my attention immediately in the prologue when he reflected on his decisions as he waited for the bus that would change his life in Mexico City. When I picked this collection of memoirs, I was hoping to read Mr. Davis’ thoughts and feelings during his life as a fugitive, and I’m glad that I was satisfied. The author doesn’t only do a great job of telling his story as if he is having a conversation with the reader, but also of explaining the reasons that led him to act the way he did in every situation. I found the stories that described the culture of the several countries visited by Dan Davis very intriguing, like the Burro’s Festival in Colombia and the hit man’s funeral in Mexico.
I was very pleased with the writing style that the author chose; it was simple and fluent, with short but detailed descriptions. The tone used is very personal and casual, humorous enough to entertain the reader. This choice of narrative gave the story a smooth and fast pace, that automatically glued me to it. The editor Peter Conti did an excellent job; I encountered only one spelling error. I couldn’t find anything that I disliked in this book.
I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. Reading Mr. Davis’ autobiography was like hearing a story during a campfire on the beach; exciting and reflective at the same time. I really enjoyed following the author’s crazy run towards freedom and his personal growth along the way. His wrong choices forced him to leave his family many times but helped him find good friends on his journey. I’m sure this book would appeal to anyone who loves adventures and well-written autobiographies, but I recommend it to an adult audience due to the sexual nature of some situations.
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Gringo
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