amybraunauthor 's review for:

Trejo: My Life of Crime, Redemption, and Hollywood by Danny Trejo

5.0

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I gave this book to my dad for a holiday with the promise that I would borrow it from him after he was done reading it. My dad loves memoirs and biographies, and I've always loved Danny Trejo. My dad was so thrilled by what he was reading that he made me read a section when I visited him. At the time, the section I read which involved an infamous prisoner, would be the most intense thing I've ever read. Boy was I wrong.

The book follows Danny Trejo's life as it progressed from terrifyingly bleak to hopeful and happy. To see where he came from and who he is makes me love the man all the more. While he doesn't go into explicit detail, we are shown just enough to know that Danny Trejo did some awful things in his early years. He does not shy away from who he was, which makes his story of recovery and redemption all the more powerful. I felt like I was relearning everything about Trejo.

The memoir reads like someone having a conversation. With so many similar names, it can get a little hard to follow. That said, this is a short book that covers a very long stretch of a very long life. The themes of this book (hard work, perseverance, faith, and forgiveness) are very powerful.

This is a great book for anyone looking to be inspired, hopeful, or a person who has a great love for Danny Trejo.