In this "celebration of a life fully lived" (Reyna Grande, author of
The Distance Between Us), discover the full, fascinating, and
inspirational true story of Danny Trejo's journey from crime, prison,
addiction, and loss--it's "enough to make you believe in the possibility
of a Hollywood ending" (The New York Times Book Review).
On screen, Danny Trejo the actor is a baddie who has been killed at
least a hundred times. He's been shot, stabbed, hanged, chopped up,
squished by an elevator, and once, was even melted into a bloody goo.
Off screen, he's a hero beloved by recovery communities and obsessed
fans alike. But the real Danny Trejo is much more complicated than the
legend.
Raised in an abusive home, Danny struggled with heroin addiction and
stints in some of the country's most notorious state prisons--including
San Quentin and Folsom--from an early age, before starring in such
modern classics as Heat, From Dusk till Dawn, and Machete. Now,
in this funny, painful, and suspenseful memoir, Danny takes us through
the incredible ups and downs of his life, including meeting one of the
world's most notorious serial killers in prison and working with legends
like Charles Bronson and Robert De Niro.
An honest, unflinching, and "inspirational study in the definition of
character" (Kevin Smith, director and actor), Trejo reveals how he
managed the horrors of prison, rebuilt himself after finding sobriety
and spirituality in solitary confinement, and draws inspiration from the
adrenaline-fueled robbing heists of his past for the film roles that
made him a household name. He also shares the painful contradictions in
his personal life. Although he speaks everywhere from prison yards to
NPR about his past to inspire countless others on their own road to
recovery and redemption, he struggles to help his children with their
personal battles with addiction, and to build relationships that last.
Redemptive and painful, poignant and real, Trejo is a portrait of a
magnificent life and an unforgettable and exceptional journey that
proves "though we may fall down at some point in our lives, it's what we
do when we stand back up that really counts" (Robert Rodriguez,
filmmaker and producer).
