Review for Gringo by Dan Tito Davis and Peter Conti

Before reading Gringo: My Life on the Edge as an International Fugitive, I never thought I would root so much for a person who has broken the sheer amount of laws that Dan “Tito” Davis has. Told in almost completely chronological order, the story describes a roller coaster of a life that would touch and be touched by some of the most infamous drug cartels and lords. The wry humor and adaptive force of “Tito” invite the reader along on a journey that often seems too big to be real.

The novel opens with a note from collaborator Peter Conti describing his first meeting with the almost larger than life Dan Davis. Without having read that forward, I probably would have thought this was fiction instead of a biography. Because, after a brief prologue describing a turning a point in his life, the reader is taken through virtually every moment of a very eventful life, starting at birth.

Growing up poor, “Tito” was very focused on making money from an early age and showed an extraordinary amount of self-discipline. Money continues to be a huge factor throughout the novel, leading Davis to make both empires and fortunes. Setbacks happen to everyone, but the way in which this person rolls with those punches and swings back is what kept me reading. While I don’t personally condone some of those choices, quite a few of the drugs Davis sold were not illegal at the time he sold them.

“Tito” also frequently expresses remorse and can often be self-deprecating, but paired with the dry humor and delivery, I would never call it whiny as some characters can lean. In addition to allowing this first hand look into his head, I am happy that the novel was written in first person because I would have had a hard time keeping track of all the different personas that he assumes during the course of his journey. The choice of first person point of view also humanizes many of the people he meets, including some of those aforementioned drug lords.

Because of how enjoyable this novel was to read, I chose to award Gringo: My Life on the Edge as an International Fugitive by Dan “Tito” Davis and Peter Conti, I highly recommend it to anyone who likes nonfiction with an edge, much like the recent movie: American Made. If you are sensitive to language, descriptions of drug use, or descriptions of violent acts, you might want to choose a different book.

Gringo: My Life on the Edge as an International Fugitive by Dan Tito and Peter Conto is available to buy on Amazon.