4 out of 4 stars
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Gringo: My Life on the Edge as an International Fugitive by Dan “Tito” Davis with Peter Conti is the nail-biting story about what it is really like to be a fugitive in a foreign country. Taking us back to his early life in a small South Dakotan town, we read about Dan’s childhood and his success as a jockey and a student. At university, he is introduced to the drug, Ephedrine, and gets into the business of marketing and selling it on a large scale. Unfortunately, as the authorities crack down on his network and close him down he gets involved with drugs and also makes spectacular profits. Rich and happily married, he is caught and faces a long sentence in jail.
With his decision to rather flee, we read the grimy account of his life in Mexico and his difficulty learning to master Spanish. Forced to live under extreme circumstances whilst adapting to alien surroundings, there is an underlying tenseness which reflects his precarious daily situation. His account of survival and success without going back into the drug business is a nerve-wracking and graphic tale of life on the edge. It is also a life filled with pretty women and he eventually marries again and settles in Venezuela.
Dan and his wife manage to create an extravagant seaside resort and for a while, he is able to let down his guard and live a prosperous life. But in a nasty twist of fate, he is dramatically captured by a para-military force and deported back to Miami in the United States. Accepting a plea bargain, he is sentenced to a prison term of 120 months and never sees his wife again.
Originally written on an ancient computer while he was in prison, this has been superbly rewritten by Peter Conti and crafted into a harrowing account relating details of third world countries as seen from the viewpoint of a wanted fugitive. Unlike similar fictional accounts, the extreme difficulties and daily tension of life on the run are dramatically described. The brooding sense of unease and mindful awareness of all authorities and even of suspicious individuals is masterfully engineered to keep the reader enthralled.
Life in third world countries during this period is described with humour and intricate detail. Descriptions of characters that the author meets in various locations across South America and even in countries as far afield as India are memorable and immensely entertaining. It is interesting to note that the author virtually never resorts to violence to extricate himself from unpleasant and threatening circumstances. This had a lot to do with his fear of encountering the local authorities and of being requested to produce documentation.
Despite being considered a criminal and a dangerous fugitive, the author is highly educated and supplies details about the various international companies as well as political figures that he encounters directly or indirectly. He also mentions Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle of quantum physics and quotes Baron Rothschild’s advice on business strategy.
Despite the physical and the mental extremities that the author faced on a daily basis, this is not a book with graphic violence or traumatic scenes described with gory detail. The physical discomforts and grime of exotic and unpleasant locations are simply related in detailed and sober terms. Despite enjoying the pleasures of entertaining obviously attractive young ladies whom he encounters, there are no explicit scenes of sex. It is entertaining to read about these exploits described in a casual laid back manner. The author obviously did not neglect this side of his life.
The writing is lucid and frank, especially concerning mistakes and lapses of concentration which resulted in narrow escapes from the clutches of the law as well as from the nefarious activities of criminals and anti-government forces. There is no cheap entertainment in this book, but rather honest descriptions of a desperate life and of ingenious methods to survive and even to become successful in a relatively honest manner.
The turbulent politics of third world countries is vividly described, as well as the effects after the famous nine-eleven attack on America and the changes that it brought to the entire world. Life as a wanted fugitive certainly became far more difficult and is well illustrated in this book.
Unless one actually does not enjoy biographies, there is not a lot to dislike about this book. It is well written and with a sense of honesty without bravado or pretences other than a dislike of a judicial system that was convinced that he was a master criminal. This is an explosive, but also an accurate reflection of a dramatic life which includes a lot of time spent behind bars and also of times in some of the most exotic places on earth. It contains nothing that may be offensive to readers.
Editing and grammar are superb. When I read that Dan had taught English in prison and had picked up even the tiniest mistakes in the final manuscript, I realised immediately that there would not be many errors still outstanding. However, I did notice two editing errors which I have recorded.
This is a book with scenes and descriptions that are vividly written and will live in your imagination for years to come. I have rated it 4 out of 4 stars.
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Gringo
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