A history of violence

living and dying in Central America

No cover

Oscar Martínez: A history of violence (2016)

257 pages

English language

Published Jan. 4, 2016

OCLC Number:
936255591

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4 stars (4 reviews)

"Heartbreaking immersion into the lives of people enduring extreme violence in Central America El Salvador and Honduras have had the highest homicide rates in the world over the past ten years. Oscar Martinez, author of The Beast, which was named one of the best books of the year by the Economist and the Financial Times, shares a beautiful and immersive account of life in one of the most violent places on earth. Martinez travels to Nicaraguan fishing towns, southern Mexican brothels where Central American women are trafficked, isolated Guatemalan jungle villages and crime-ridden Salvadoran slums. With his precise and empathetic reporting, he reveals the underbelly of some of the most dangerous places in the world, going undercover to drink with narcos, accompanying police patrols, riding in trafficking boats and hiding out with a gang informer. The result is an unforgettable portrait of a region of fear, helping to explain why …

1 edition

Review of 'A history of violence' on Goodreads

3 stars

Journalistic vignettes of El Salvador and Guatemala, arranged to illustrate how U.S.-originated gangs fluidly control and take as given these middle Central American countries, creating entire societies of crazy violence. Lots of gruesome violence. The introduction forcefully ties these together to explain how US deportation and drug policy are why these countries cannot stabilize and will continue to pump drugs and fleeing migrants our way.

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5 stars
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Subjects

  • Social conditions
  • Drug traffic
  • Violence
  • Crime

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