El Narco: Inside Mexico's Criminal Insurgency Paperback Author: Visit Amazon's Ioan Grillo Page | Language: English | ISBN:
1608194019 | Format: PDF, EPUB
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Review
Grillo's clear-eyed, sobering account has authority and a flair for colourful anecdotes, making for disturbing but riveting reading Metro A superb report form the front lines of narco-violence Independent [A] shining example of dogged, impassioned and courageous reporting ... compelling ... his pace is furious, like driving at top speed along a wild mountain track in a pickup and there is no doubting his expertise, his compassion or his grit Daily Express It is hard enough to report the facts of Mexico's crazy death spiral of drug violence. Ioan Grillo goes much, much deeper. He explains why El Narco threatens the soul of this beautiful country. He tells us how we got here -- William Booth, bureau chief for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean Washington Post A fascinating and terrifying account Sydney Morning Herald Heartbreaking ... El Narco is a fine work of journalism Irish Times Remarkable Houston Chronicle Puts a human face on the bloodshed Boston Globe
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
About the Author
Ioan Grillo has covered Mexico since 2001 for top newspapers, magazines, and TV stations in the U.S. and the UK. He reports for Time as well as producing presentations for PBS, ABC, and Channel 4 (UK). He regularly appears on radio and TV, commenting on Mexican crime and other issues. He has witnessed police and military operations, mafia killings and major drug seizures; he has discussed the drug war with two Mexican presidents, three attorneys general, and the U.S. ambassador to Mexico, among others.
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- Paperback: 336 pages
- Publisher: Bloomsbury Press (November 13, 2012)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 9781608194018
- ISBN-13: 978-1608194018
- ASIN: 1608194019
- Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.6 x 0.9 inches
- Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
In the last five years or so, the horrific violence across the Rio Grange has made headlines in the USA. There are articles about seemingly random gun battles in major cities, executions of drug "players," police, and even journalists covering the story. The book "El Narco" provides historical context and gripping reporting about this terrible situation.
The reader learns that the "Mexican drug trade" for the US started with the smuggling of opium across the border to fuel the needs of Chinese workers in the 19th century. In the 1960s, the rise in marijuana consumption led to importation of this drug. The sucessful Federal (US) efforts to shut down Florida as a route for Cocaine smuggling in the 1980s led to use of Mexico, with its large border, as the alternative pathway.
The book also explains how and why the violence has escalated so dramatically in the last few years, stemming in part from the end of one party political rule, and perhaps more importantly, the morphing of police/soldiers in Mexico from passive players (taking bribes) to active players, culminating in the rise of the Zetas, an almost unbelievably brutal drug organization.
Like any good reporter, the author provides telling details. A graphic example involves the take down of a major drug kingpin in an operation which resulted in fatalities amongst the soldiers/police who did the job. Gunmen from the kingpin's organization infiltrated the funeral of one of the soldiers, and murdered several family members. That is the way the game is played South of the Border.
My one (minor) criticism concerns the final chapter, in which the author provides suggested approaches which might help stem the violent tide. These ideas ( e.g.
There is no doubt that Grillo has done his homework and knows a fair amount about the Mexican drug trade. His writing seems supported by an expertise and detailed research. Unfortunately, the book came up a little short of my expectations.
The Good Points:
* A very detailed look at the Mexican drug cartels, with sufficient detail to make it seem believable and well researched.
* Unusual for the "true crime" genre, Grillo looks at Mexican society and how it has both affected and been affected by the drug trade. Close-knit families, geography, and even religion all have had an affect on how the cartels grow and prosper. Very nice to see these topics included.
* With its discounted price, the book is a great deal. I am a big fan of discounted titles as a way to read books on topics that normally wouldn't catch my interest. For the price, an excellent valuc.
The Not-So-Good Points
* The book is more like a collection of essays than a history book. I didn't find any underlying thesis to the work, just a series of chapters on different topics. Given Grillo's background, the comparison to a series of (detailed) magazine articles seems obvious. (Think Atlantic Monthly).
* Grill can't seem to decide if he is writing a history text of a series of editorials. His opinions come through very strongly, and he is prone to inserting snarky and rather informal personal commentary in the work. It takes away from the quality of the book, and quite honestly breaks my concentration.
* I found his writing style to be somewhat stiff and unyielding. Not the long, complicated prose of a scholarly history text, but not the easy-read language of a mass-market volume.
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