Review by Gavin Mndawe -- Gringo
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Gavin Mndawe
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- Latest Review: Gringo by Dan "Tito" Davis
Review by Gavin Mndawe -- Gringo
[Following is a volunteer review of "Gringo" by Dan "Tito" Davis.]
2 out of 4 stars
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Gringo is a brutally humanistic account of a thriving drug lord and his exploits in the fast-paced business of drugs.
Dan 'Tito' Davis started off as normal drug-using student before morphing into a smalltime drug peddler and eventually a fully-fledged walking pharmacy.
From his side of the story, Mr Davis presents to us a cautionary tale, recounting his glorious rise to fabulous wealth and the epic fall he suffered subsequently. The story is a hybrid between a relatable, grounded account of 'the American dream' and an incredibly surreal narrative that simply defies belief. The storytelling is blunt and this often comes across as pedantic, lacking fluidity and it reminds us more of a textbook than a story.
The title 'Gringo' bounces off the tongue in a spicy and gripping manner. The fact that gringo is Spanish for Caucasian gives us the idea that the author went through an underdog phase where he had to try assimilating in a world that is foreign to a person of his kind.
The book is an utterly extraneous use of words and it could have been trimmed down to its bare necessities. Seven hundred pages is too heavy for the reader, I mean, what is this? The Odyssey?
Some of the details are quite awe-inspiring. The notion of learning to fly a plane so that you can smuggle drugs with ease is nothing short of legendary. We get the sense that the author is inflicted with ravenous ambition that prompts him to do whatever it takes to acquire a majority market share.
The social commentary in this book is potent to say the least. Tito is arrested and upon release, he attempts to repent from his ways, seeking a more legitimate living. This proves to be impossible, however, because of society's cynical stance when it comes to ex-convicts in the job market. This forces him to return to his 'old life' which was quick, easy and lacked the discriminatory criteria that society upheld.
What I liked most about the book was the 'culture shock' that the author experienced when in Mexico. Being a monolingual speaker of English, it is interesting to see how he has to fend for himself in a land unfamiliar to him. I enjoyed being pulled out of vicariousness and into an intimate, engaging and captivating point of view especially when Peter takes us through the author's life. The sheer drive that Tito conveys is also awe-inspiring on so many levels. The book is action-packed and quite palatable in instances of lightheartedness.
What I disliked most about the book was the length. It is overwhelming to know that you have to go through almost a thousand pages to reach a conclusion. The tone is also inconsistent, being easygoing in some instances and rigorous bin others. There also seems to be a lot of 'potholes' in the timeline which makes it difficult to navigate through the narrative.
Alas, I give this book 2 out 4 stars. It is thrilling, dynamic and reveals to us a previously unknown and usually concealed reality that society fails to deal with head-on. It is, however, hard to get a form grip on as there are inexplicable inconsistencies in the timeline. The straightforward narration also robs the reader of a child-like suspense and excitement for the slowly peeling away of mysteries toward the uncovering of core revelations.
Overall, it is a riveting read and I would recommend it to anyone willing to read the same book for months.
******
Gringo
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
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2 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
Gringo is a brutally humanistic account of a thriving drug lord and his exploits in the fast-paced business of drugs.
Dan 'Tito' Davis started off as normal drug-using student before morphing into a smalltime drug peddler and eventually a fully-fledged walking pharmacy.
From his side of the story, Mr Davis presents to us a cautionary tale, recounting his glorious rise to fabulous wealth and the epic fall he suffered subsequently. The story is a hybrid between a relatable, grounded account of 'the American dream' and an incredibly surreal narrative that simply defies belief. The storytelling is blunt and this often comes across as pedantic, lacking fluidity and it reminds us more of a textbook than a story.
The title 'Gringo' bounces off the tongue in a spicy and gripping manner. The fact that gringo is Spanish for Caucasian gives us the idea that the author went through an underdog phase where he had to try assimilating in a world that is foreign to a person of his kind.
The book is an utterly extraneous use of words and it could have been trimmed down to its bare necessities. Seven hundred pages is too heavy for the reader, I mean, what is this? The Odyssey?
Some of the details are quite awe-inspiring. The notion of learning to fly a plane so that you can smuggle drugs with ease is nothing short of legendary. We get the sense that the author is inflicted with ravenous ambition that prompts him to do whatever it takes to acquire a majority market share.
The social commentary in this book is potent to say the least. Tito is arrested and upon release, he attempts to repent from his ways, seeking a more legitimate living. This proves to be impossible, however, because of society's cynical stance when it comes to ex-convicts in the job market. This forces him to return to his 'old life' which was quick, easy and lacked the discriminatory criteria that society upheld.
What I liked most about the book was the 'culture shock' that the author experienced when in Mexico. Being a monolingual speaker of English, it is interesting to see how he has to fend for himself in a land unfamiliar to him. I enjoyed being pulled out of vicariousness and into an intimate, engaging and captivating point of view especially when Peter takes us through the author's life. The sheer drive that Tito conveys is also awe-inspiring on so many levels. The book is action-packed and quite palatable in instances of lightheartedness.
What I disliked most about the book was the length. It is overwhelming to know that you have to go through almost a thousand pages to reach a conclusion. The tone is also inconsistent, being easygoing in some instances and rigorous bin others. There also seems to be a lot of 'potholes' in the timeline which makes it difficult to navigate through the narrative.
Alas, I give this book 2 out 4 stars. It is thrilling, dynamic and reveals to us a previously unknown and usually concealed reality that society fails to deal with head-on. It is, however, hard to get a form grip on as there are inexplicable inconsistencies in the timeline. The straightforward narration also robs the reader of a child-like suspense and excitement for the slowly peeling away of mysteries toward the uncovering of core revelations.
Overall, it is a riveting read and I would recommend it to anyone willing to read the same book for months.
******
Gringo
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like Gavin Mndawe's review? Post a comment saying so!
Latest Review: Gringo by Dan "Tito" Davis
