A gritty, adventurous tale…
Wilson’s chance to join two local icons on a dream surf trip to mainland Mexico that resulted in a complete disaster makes for a compelling debut memoir. Being a one of the not-so-popular guys, twenty-one-year-old Wilson wasted no time saying yes to two local icons for a surfing trip to Mexico, unaware of his companions’ convicted manslaughter charges and unscrupulous personality. After robbing a supermarket for ration, Wilson sets on the road trip with his crooked mates. But bad karma follows them everywhere: mishaps and misfortunes rule their days, and mere survival takes precedence over surfing. In the first few chapters, Wilson often cuts too abruptly between his strands of memory, making it a bit difficult to get the hang of the story, but the pacing soon picks up and his accessible, crisp prose and deeply-intriguing account make the reader turning pages non-stop. The trio encountered the perils of some of the country’s wildest spots: Wilson vividly renders the experience, including being stuck in their vehicle in a flooded river; struggling to put together the bus engine in the middle of nowhere; and surviving many nights in the unforgivable Mexican terrain. Descriptions of the ill-fated incident that puts Wilson in the path of the pre-kingpin El Chapo and his notorious cartel capture the incredible danger the young man puts himself in. Wilson adeptly explores the generosity, honor, family ties, and faith of the average Mexican. Original black and white photographs beautifully capture the essence of the men’s wild adventure. An adventure story and the journey of personal discovery at once, this is a must read.