Review by Zainabreadsnow -- Gringo

[Zainabreadsnow]

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

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4 out of 4 stars

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Gringo: My Life On The Edge As An International Fugitive by Dan "Tito" Davis and Peter Conti is a recount of the adventurous life of Dan "Tito" Davis. Davis, a drug dealer, resorts to life on the run after his partner betrays him and turns him in. Davis spends a hundred and two months in prison. He makes valuable connections there that allow him to escape to Mexico. The reader then follows Davis through a first-person perspective as he evades getting captured, and travels through various countries such as Cuba, Germany, India, and Venezuela.

This memoir is an exciting retelling of the real life of Davis. At times, it is easy to forget that you are reading a true story as the thrilling adventures seem far-fetched, and too good to be true. As someone who frequently watches and reads accounts of drug dealer’s lives, I was pleasantly surprised by how unique this story was. At no point in the book did I feel like it was getting repetitive or cliché. The book starts with Davis escaping from jail, and ends with him being captured for the second time. This setup allows for the book to feel like a complete recount of his life.

The manuscript was written by Davis and then compiled and edited by Peter Conti. This technique brought out the charisma and character of Davis along with the creativity of Peter Conti’s writing style. My favorite part of the book is the humor with which Davis approaches his mistakes. He refers to himself as “Gringo Stupido”. The use of the wrong word in Spanish in itself refers to his ability to laugh at himself for failing at some of the things he has attempted.

The book is full of obscene language and profanity. Davis describes the women in his life with language that might put some people off. This makes it a little inappropriate for younger audiences to read this book. I would recommend this memoir to everyone interested in the risky, adventurous life of crime and drugs. It is very educational in terms of the justice system and how it operates in the United States. Several places in the book include footnotes and external links that expand on key material that can help the reader better understand the life and trials of a drug dealer.

The only part of the book that I found a little distasteful and did not like was a scene that involved bestiality. I simply did not have the stomach for it and had to skip that altogether. Other than that, I found this book extremely entertaining and very enjoyable. The book seems professionally edited as I did not find any grammatical or spelling errors. I would rate this book 4 out of 4 stars.

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Gringo
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