The following is the book review detailed from the eyes and mind of Michael Santos, a former Seattle Drug dealer who got caught up and is serving 45 years of prison due to his actions. Realizing the mistakes he has made and witnesses things in prison he put together a vividly crafted account of what life is truly like behind the bars of the penitentiary. His explicit accounts and recollection and details from other prisoners give an in depth scope to let the reader know what life really is like in the system. .
Michael Santos was a 23 yr old Seattle suburban guy who was on his way living the dream. At that time, in the mid to late 80's, he owned properties in Miami and drove very expensive vehicles (such as Ferraris and Porsches) and have a taste for the luxurious things in life. How you might add? Well he had devised a distribution scheme for cocaine and narcotics while not actually having to physically deal with the drugs themselves. Santos was under the impression that he was in a great situation regardless of things went bad or not, because if things did get bad and he got caught up, there was no way he would be able to be convicted due in part to him not actually having contact with the drugs themselves. He termed himself a "Swash Buckler", a person who thinks they are above the law due to technicalities in their circumstances and people who feel they can get over on the law. With his confidence intact, and his belief that because he worked more so as a bridge and not the actual direct link to the drugs (along with his belief that money can buy you your freedom if necessary), he felt that he was clear to an extent and the crimes wouldn't be that serious. He was completely wrong about the entire thing. See, during that time in the Reagan Administration, the war on drugs had begun and the "Just Say No" initiative had begun as well during the 80's. Drug crimes and violence went hand in hand and so anything related to drugs had far more dire consequences in the eyes of the politicians and in turn the public interest as well.
