Oscar Zeta Acosta is probably not a name that rings immediate bells; a famous Chicano lawyer who fought for the rights of his people, while getting high.

Two books were written during his time, before his mysterious disappearance in 1974. As no body was ever discovered, his whereabouts, his existence, nor word from him has ever reached anyone since. His son had recommissioned the publishing of his only two complete works: The Autobiography of a Brown Buffalo and The Revolt of the Cockroach People. This review focuses on the first book.

The Autobiography of a Brown Buffalo is Oscar’s account of his childhood, and his existence during the turbulent age of the sixties when sex, drugs and war were a commonality within the lives of everyday “American citizens”. The setting of the book uses the political change in America with Nixon as a backdrop, perhaps as a metaphor for the confusion and hostility that Oscar feels himself towards others, but particularly himself.

During the early years of Oscar’s life as a lawyer, dealing with the legal aid cases of Temporary Restraining Orders as the most popular, we come to realise that this is not what he wants to do. His choice to be a lawyer was out of circumstance rather than that of personal direction. It wasn’t a goal, but it happened to be something he was good at, and so having fucked up his life during a child, he feels the need to make something of himself, if only to survive.

we come to realise that this is not what he wants to do. His choice to be a lawyer was out of circumstance rather than that of personal direction

After the death of his Secretary, a personally disturbing metamorphosis occurs within Oscar. He begins to question his identity, trying to make sense of who he is. The people Oscar comes across only emphasises the stereotypical nature of the common white opinion of who he is, where he is from and what he is doing. It is often to Oscar’s dismay he feels the need to point out he is Samoan. Not that it makes the blind bit of difference to the person he is talking to, and often he indulges himself in the moronic stupidity of others to gawk and listen to someone they consider “different” or “exotic” to humourous effect.

Oscar’s identity crisis takes him across America in a more hedonistic and reckless manner than perhaps Kerouac’s, an author and generation of writers that Oscar himself despises, and he makes light of this matter within his book. It’s interesting to read Oscar’s own literary background, as he is a well read, educated and intelligent individual. What we see portrayed elsewhere is a bar brawling pot bellied Samoan of the least typical kind. In fact, this is a true representation of Oscar (or in Hunter’s case Dr Gonzo, the character model created around Oscar) later on in life, but within this book we are entering the reasons of why, and the reason was why not?

His respect for people varies, his love for women is great, and yet he is incapable of satisfying any woman sexually. His lack of confidence in his personal life is a complete contrast to his life as a lawyer, drawing the identity crisis into view for the reader. Oscar bares his soul open, with accounts of all his failures, his success, disappointments, fears and hopes.

Growing up as he did during a time of racial bigotry and division amongst even his own people, it created the character that became Oscar Zeta Acosta. A rebellious, angry man who had seen the destruction of not only his own people. but the disillusionment of his own identity and the succumbing of others like him to the system. Oscar’s own motivation for rebelling against the system was to be equal, to have the same privileges, same rights, and the same justice that the descendants of the pilgrims have.

The book is sometimes a depressing look into the life of someone who was quite alone, angry with the world and the way it treated him. Even with his crappy job as a legal aid lawyer, with some degree of security, the free spirit within him often wanted to break out of the caged oppression of routine and boredom. Oscar quits his job and decides to find out who he is. Being a Chicano lawyer that cannot even speak his own language disturbs and tortures Oscar to the brink of madness, with only his friends being around to look after him and to calm his anger down.

the destruction of not only his own people. but the disillusionment of his own identity and the succumbing of others like him to the system

Particularly when he travels to Mexico, having never been with a woman properly, he exists in a country whereby his only communication is a foreign language that is not his own. He is shunned by America and his bigotry politics, and similar parallel in Mexico with the political angst of “suggested occupation” being prevelent, and his inability to speak a native tongue shunning him from Mexico. It is during moments like this that Oscar is taken to breaking point, and we then go through his childhood, comparing got to where he is at this point, and how nothing has really changed since his days as a child living in a divided town.

Oscar’s autobiography is a potent and inspiring piece of writing, with a direct no-bullshit manner of which makes a refreshing change from some of the candy flossed boredom that is written today. His candid and explicit experiences with drugs, women, isolation and personal depression and his rise to finding out who he exactly is, while at the same time changing the lives of others along the way impresses upon you a man of great talent and imagination, that many know little about. His influence on Hunter S Thompson is legendary, as he had initially pioneered “Gonzo” writing, and made a huge impression on Hunter, who considered him to be a great friend, a lawyer and a brother in his opening introduction to this book.

As the world around Oscar crumbles and degrades into nothingness, he fights against adversity in finding his roots, breaking the laws of the courts of whom he no longer has any respect, fleeing to Mexico to flee prosecution as a “Wanted” man by an institutionally racist police state, and at making his name in the history books as someone who would not only fight the corner for his people, but would make his name as one of the most notorious Chicano lawyer’s ever to grace the State of North and South America.

If you’re looking for the excess of Hunter & Gonzo then you are unlikely to find that here, although there are moments when we approach madness, Oscar’s early years were filled more with hatred and anger than hedonism’ court room drama and running from the law than running to a land of frills. It is no less better, however, and it provides a deeply interesting read.

Verdict: Providing a glimpse of an unknown legend, well written and thoroughly enjoyable, if a little sentimental.