The dense hills of Sinaloa, Mexico, are home to the most powerful drug lord since Pablo Escobar: Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman. Responsible for uncountable murders since taking charge of the Sinaloa cartel in the 1990s, and a central figure in the recent surge in drug-related violence and bloodshed, Guzman is among the world's ten most wanted men—and also appeared on Forbes magazine's 2009 billionaire list. With his massive wealth, his army of professional killers, and a network of informants that reaches into the highest levels of government, catching Guzman was considered impossible—until now.
The all-out war between the Mexican cartels has isolated Guzman from former partners at the same time that the Mexican government has intensified its fight to restore order and end the terror. With El Chapo vulnerable as never before, Mexican and DEA authorities are closing in, and journalist Malcolm Beith, a Newsweek contributor who has spent years reporting on the drug wars, follows the chase with full access to senior officials and exclusive interviews with soldiers and drug traffickers in the region, including members of Guzman's cartel. The Last Narco combines fearless reporting with the story of El Chapo's legendary rise from a poor farming family to the "capo" of the world's largest drug empire. Renowned for his charisma as much as for his brutality, Guzman's defiance of authorities and mythical exploits—including his escape from Puente Grande prison in a laundry cart—have made him a folk hero across Mexico.
Through Guzman's story, Beith uncovers the secret history of the Mexican cartels' rise to dominance, from their early years assisting the Colombians to the bloody power struggles and new barbarism of today. Guzman emerges as the last remaining narco of the old mold who ruled by principles and whose capture will signal the end of an era. The Last Narco is an essential book about one of the most pressing and dramatic stories in the news today—a true crime thriller happening in real time.
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"Fascinating history and account of the drug war with graphic anecdotes that bring to life the gruesome statistics. Well written and gripping read where all of the histories intersect in an explosive fight for power."
— Samm (5 out of 5 stars)
Courageous, gritty, and gripping.
— Publishers Weekly" Thought it was okay. Have read much better versions of a similar story "
— Chris, 2/2/2014" Highly informative. Well written. Gives a good inside as to what happens. "
— Anita, 1/13/2014" By far, gave the best description of not only the US infiltration by the cartels, but also the global networks. "
— Andrea, 12/29/2013" Courageous, enthralling research on the devasting impact of current Mexican cartels on Mexico and it's people. "
— Mark, 11/28/2013" An interesting subject but the non chronological nature of the book's events really never allowed you to get into the story as a whole. "
— Gary, 8/21/2013" Very well written book about the Mexican drug cartels eye-opening, informative and honestly very scary! "
— Yaqoub, 7/13/2013" Good resume/perspective about narcotraffic problem. "
— Ceronne, 6/30/2013" Chapo Guzman the most wanted narco on the world whose fame power and money surpasses Pablo Escobar. A good book covering the cartel wars in Mexico. "
— Dan, 6/13/2013" An awesome book that gives you the inside look at one of the most powerful drug lords. "
— Spencer, 12/4/2012" read this in a gulp at barnes and noble prudential building! scary and real-life stuff. beyond tragic for my ancestors' country. "
— Lettycia, 5/31/2012" Lo mismo de siempre! "
— Miguel, 6/7/2011" Bagaimana sepak terjang seorang Guzman Loera yang kerap disapa "El Chapo" atau si pendek. Chapo adalah anak petani yang menjadi sukses dalam bisnis barang haram (peredaran narkotika) di negaranya. "
— Ady, 2/4/2011" Good source of information on Chapo which composes first half of the book. Most of the second half is a discussion of the Mexican narco state. Not sure Malcolm could fill a whole book on Chapo- who is an elusive character. Worth reading. "
— Luigib, 12/31/2010Malcolm Beith is a writer based in Mexico City. He has covered the drug war for Newsweek and has contributed to Foreign Policy, World Politics Review, and Jane’s Intelligence Weekly. He has also reported from Iraq, Haiti, and Colombia.