Title: Killing Pablo
Author: Mark Bowden
This searing, all encompassing account of the CIA and multi-national organization’s manhunt and subsequent death of Pablo Escobar is truly fascinating and proves the euphemism “Truth is stranger than fiction.” While one is not supposed to judge a book by its cover, go ahead and do so! A picture paints a thousand words and the image of a handful of heavily armed men brimming with delight while standing over the body of the dead drug lord like a bagged deer is enough to make anyone curious at the very least.
Bowden, an exceptional journalist, states facts, not just about the demise of Escobar, but of the world he lived in and the country he created in Colombia fueled by funds from US citizens and their new “all the rage” habit. The destruction Escobar wrought, the public support he bought (both with development and terror) are epic and Bowden does a masterful job of laying the landscape for the average reader unfamiliar with the details of the culture and “war on drugs” begun primarily and apparently unsuccessfully by Reagan, (unless you count the oodles of dough it brings each year to the federal government.) Bowden covers the depths and heights of politics in both the US and Colombia and the only possibly perceived drawback in this fascinating piece of writing is perhaps the tedium of following the necessary drawing of relationships between the countries. It is, however, well worth the trouble!
I believe the History channel adapted the book for television in a special titled the same and, despite being a biased English teacher by profession, the book is exponentially better than the movie. The detail which Bowden uses to describe the man, the myth, the legend of Escobar, as well as the futility of the countries that pursued him, is spellbinding. It is eye-opening, fascinating, and whispers of the seemingly dead art of unbiased journalism.
I can’t recall the name of it but Pablo Esobar’s son did a documentary (I believe it was on HBO) about the aftermath of his father in his own life and an attempted reconciliation with the sons of Luis Galan, a leading candidate for president of Colombia, who stood up to Escobar and paid the price with his life. I didn’t see the whole thing but it was powerful as well.
No comments:
Post a Comment