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4.42 AVERAGE
4.42 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
5 stars! Mostly because I hope Danny doesn’t see this and get upset :-) what a transformation and a story that reflects the fact that we all choose our actions.
Thank you for sharing your insights in a world I did not grow up in. I’m far from understanding these experiences but I feel I’ve added one more it to my toolbox to empathize with those who are.
Thank you for sharing your insights in a world I did not grow up in. I’m far from understanding these experiences but I feel I’ve added one more it to my toolbox to empathize with those who are.
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
slow-paced
Danny Trejo is a treasure. What a life (LIVES) he has lived. Definitely something in here for everyone regardless of your affinity for him and/or relationship with addiction. Excellent listen.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction
Moderate: Violence
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
What an incredible book. I can't believe Danny lived all this in just one lifetime and he's not finished yet! His work with helping people to sobriety is amazing. Danny has touched so many lives from all walks of life may he continue for a long time. He definitely has a gift of reaching people and what incredible devotion.
Important to note that I'm reviewing the audiobook version of this book. This is not to say that the physical book/e-reader are different in any way, but I do know that my experience with this book is necessarily tied to the audio version.
I didn't think I'd read this book. I didn't think I'd like this book. I was wrong on all counts. I have (to the best of my knowledge) never seen a Danny Trejo film, though I suspect I've seen him in a television series or two. My friend insisted I should read it, so I did, and now I get it. I can't entirely describe why, but I'll try. Honestly, his life is just so eventful and dramatic. I knew nothing about it. There's just a ton happening over his lifetime. I love the inclusion of specific details, and I think what makes the book is his inclusion of hindsight and greater understanding. He knows who he is, and he knows who he was, and he can articulate it so well now that he might not have been able to do when he was younger. Just really wonderful, honest self-reflection. I found it really difficult to put the book down for any extended period of time, and I sat on the last 10% of the book as long as possible because I didn't want it to end. The author's note at the very end was kind of eh for me, but overall this was fantastic.
More about the audio version. TL;DR: It works. I generally like listening to nonfiction. When I listen to audiobooks, the best performances are ones that feel seamless and conversational. The ones that are more stilted, that sound like someone is reading off a paper, are less enjoyable, less easy to get lost in the performance. (This checks with my experience as a public speaking instructor.) Trejo sounds like he's reading off the page, but honestly it doesn't matter. I always perk up when an author performs the audiobook (for better or worse). I could feel him reliving his experiences. His laughter at certain moments was so genuine, and you could hear the ultimate care in his voice when he was talking about his family, spirituality, or recovery. I would absolutely recommend the audio version of this book, and probably the non-audio version if you're inclined to go that way.
I didn't think I'd read this book. I didn't think I'd like this book. I was wrong on all counts. I have (to the best of my knowledge) never seen a Danny Trejo film, though I suspect I've seen him in a television series or two. My friend insisted I should read it, so I did, and now I get it. I can't entirely describe why, but I'll try. Honestly, his life is just so eventful and dramatic. I knew nothing about it. There's just a ton happening over his lifetime. I love the inclusion of specific details, and I think what makes the book is his inclusion of hindsight and greater understanding. He knows who he is, and he knows who he was, and he can articulate it so well now that he might not have been able to do when he was younger. Just really wonderful, honest self-reflection. I found it really difficult to put the book down for any extended period of time, and I sat on the last 10% of the book as long as possible because I didn't want it to end. The author's note at the very end was kind of eh for me, but overall this was fantastic.
More about the audio version. TL;DR: It works. I generally like listening to nonfiction. When I listen to audiobooks, the best performances are ones that feel seamless and conversational. The ones that are more stilted, that sound like someone is reading off a paper, are less enjoyable, less easy to get lost in the performance. (This checks with my experience as a public speaking instructor.) Trejo sounds like he's reading off the page, but honestly it doesn't matter. I always perk up when an author performs the audiobook (for better or worse). I could feel him reliving his experiences. His laughter at certain moments was so genuine, and you could hear the ultimate care in his voice when he was talking about his family, spirituality, or recovery. I would absolutely recommend the audio version of this book, and probably the non-audio version if you're inclined to go that way.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
Danny Trejo, a legend. This book makes me want to sit and listen to him share more stories, or watch him work. The book itself was repetitive, but the structure made sense at the closing. As a reader, the epilogue was Trejo’s best on an emotional standpoint. I consumed this book quickly as he kept me company weeding books about addiction, the justice system and crime in at the library where I work. (Did not plan that!)