Trejo

Starred review from May 10, 2021
Quintessential Hollywood bad guy Trejo delivers a powerful and expertly crafted memoir that is tougher, more frightening, and more memorable than any of his films. Born in Los Angeles in 1944, Trejo struggled with heroin addiction in his early 20s and was in and out of prison throughout the ’60s. His account of life in San Quentin and Folsom prisons, where “hopelessness is carved in men’s faces,” is unsparing in its depiction of violence. Trejo avoided the pitfalls of inmate life by becoming an excellent boxer and finding AA, and he eventually found work in films thanks to his “hard-looking” style: “I was cast as a convict (surprise).” Tracing his success as an actor, he shares fascinating behind-the-scenes views of working with stars such as Robert DeNiro, whose mobster acting was unmatched but who was “so patient” on the set of Heat. Even in recounting his rise to fame with films such as Machete, Trejo never veers from the story of how his hard work paid off by allowing him to support his family, overcome the “environment of toxic masculinity that I was raised in,” and “spread the message of recovery.” This page-turner will thrill the legend’s huge fan base. Agents: Gloria Hinojosa, Amsel, Eisenstadt, Frazier & Hinojosa; Albert Lee, United Talent Agency.

May 15, 2021
An actor's noteworthy journey from convict to Hollywood celebrity. As one of the most easily recognizable cinematic bad guys, Trejo (b. 1944) has made a career of being mauled and maimed across dozens of films, from Desperado to Con Air to Grindhouse to Machete. As the author shows, his real life has been as tumultuous and eventful as any action story. Raised in a large Mexican American family oozing with "macho Chicanismo," Trejo fell under the influence of Uncle Gilbert, who mentored him in life on the streets. Gilbert taught him how to rob, box, take drugs, and pass a prison sentence. Trejo was 12 when he first tried heroin, and his battle with addiction would land him in one correctional facility after another until he eventually found himself in some of California's most infamous prisons. From the darkest depths of incarceration, Trejo made a commitment to sobriety and began living by a mantra of service, which showed him that "everything good that's ever happened in my life has come as the direct result of helping someone else and not expecting anything in return." Unwavering in his pledge to remain clean and help others do the same, Trejo continues to battle with lingering challenges involving his roles as a devoted husband and loving father. The author chronicles his battles with personal demons alongside his spectacular rise to stardom and impressive success in the entertainment industry and with a Trejo's Tacos and Trejo's Coffee & Donuts in LA. Throughout, the author expresses himself in an informal yet consistently thoughtful manner. In the collaborator's note, co-author and fellow actor Logue writes, "Nearly everything he said was gold: wise, funny, pithy, at times, clairvoyant. I gained more insight on life in those first few days...with Danny than I had in my previous thirty-two years." A raw and deeply engrossing salvation story.

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Starred review from June 1, 2021

In this inspiring, engaging memoir, actor Trejo chronicles his experiences with addiction, prison, violence, and loss, and his journey from construction worker at L.A.'s famous Cinerama Dome, to eventual star of the movies that played there. With help from fellow actor Logue, Trejo tells his story with honesty. He says he used and sold heroin, and landed in prison in the '60s. During the 1968 Cinco de Mayo riots at California's Soledad State Prison, Trejo threw a rock that hit a prison guard, and found himself staring down a possible execution. The charges were dropped on a technicality, but the incident set him on a new path. Trejo found his faith, became sober, and started helping others, eventually becoming the movie star he is today, with more than 400 movies under his belt. By turns cautionary, curious, and celebratory, Trejo's stories flow smoothly, and he takes a no-nonsense approach as he looks back on his life, including his regrets. VERDICT A fantastic memoir that readers won't be able to put down.--Traci Glass, Lincoln City Libraries, NE

Copyright 2021 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2021
Danny Trejo, an actor and star with some 250 roles to his credit in movies (Desperado, Con Air, Grindhouse, and as Machete in the Spy Kids franchise), television, and video games, often besieged and bloodied, tells his remarkable story with coauthor Logue, documenting a life of violence, sorrow, addiction, and, ultimately, survival and fame. Trejo is boldly forthcoming about even the most painful aspects of his life, beginning with his childhood hardships, crime, and reliance on drugs. ""Heroin was my escape hatch. It had been ever since I first used it, at twelve, to avoid the anger in my house."" Trejo served time in prison, including solitary confinement, emerging to become a drug counselor and mentor and focused on family and parenting. Through faith, helping others, and representing Latin Americans in movies, Trejo, who writes of knowing killers and working with movie mega-stars, seeks redemption and forgiveness. This gripping autobiography recounts a flawed hero's journey as Trejo digs his way out of tragedy, temptation, and the toxic masculinity of his youth. Trejo's true power far exceeds that of his tough-guys roles.

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