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Soldiers and Kings: Survival and Hope in the World of Human Smuggling

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Description

WINNER OF THE 2024 NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FOR NONFICTION A TIME 10 Best Nonfiction Book of 2024 • An NPR Book We Love 2024 • A New York Times Notable Book of 2024 • A Boston Globe Best Book of 2024 “A work of extraordinary reportage and compassion...[it] will shock you, move you, and leave you changed.” —Matthew Desmond, Pulitzer Prize-winning and New York Times bestselling author of Evicted and Poverty, by America “An enlightening, frightening, unforgettable read.” —Sandra Cisneros, bestselling author of The House on Mango Street An intense, intimate and first-of-its-kind look at the world of human smuggling in Latin America, by a MacArthur "genius" grant winner and anthropologist with unprecedented access Political instability, poverty, climate change, and the insatiable appetite for cheap labor all fuel clandestine movement across borders. As those borders harden, the demand for smugglers who aid migrants across them increases every year. Yet the real lives and work of smugglers—or coyotes, or guides, as they are often known by the migrants who hire their services—are only ever reported on from a distance, using tired tropes and stereotypes, often depicted as boogie men and violent warlords. In an effort to better understand this essential yet extralegal billion dollar global industry, internationally recognized anthropologist and expert Jason De León embedded with a group of smugglers moving migrants across Mexico over the course of seven years. The result of this unique and extraordinary access is SOLDIERS AND KINGS: the first ever in- depth, character-driven look at human smuggling. It is a heart-wrenching and intimate narrative that revolves around the life and death of one coyote who falls in love and tries to leave smuggling behind. In a powerful, original voice, De León expertly chronicles the lives of low-level foot soldiers breaking into the smuggling game, and morally conflicted gang leaders who oversee rag-tag crews of guides and informants along the migrant trail. SOLDIERS AND KINGS is not only a ground-breaking up-close glimpse of a difficult-to-access world, it is a masterpiece of narrative nonfiction. Read more

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Viking (March 19, 2024)


Language ‏ : ‎ English


Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 400 pages


ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0593298586


ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 89


Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds


Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.19 x 1.3 x 9.27 inches


Best Sellers Rank: #10,189 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #4 in Hispanic & Latin Biographies #6 in Immigration Policy #57 in Sociology Reference


#4 in Hispanic & Latin Biographies:


#6 in Immigration Policy:


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If you place your order now, the estimated arrival date for this product is: Wednesday, Apr 23

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Top Amazon Reviews


  • truth & life
Jason De Leon once again touches the soul with his work. Soldiers and Kings is just as page-turning, and informative, as The Land of Open Graves, but with a nuance that speaks to the entire spectrum of the heart. Whereas I found Land of Open Graves to be beautifully black and white, Soldiers and Kings brings vibrant colors to a massive gray area in human migration. This book breaks your heart, builds it up, and breaks it all over again. It’s wonderfully vivid, often hilarious, and painfully honest. Any system consisting of humans, for the benefit of humans, will be as inherently flawed as humans themselves. There’ll be the good, the bad, and the ugly of it all. Jason De Leon presents these truths of life in a way many can’t. I believe in both books Jason questions if what he’s doing with his work is right. It is. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on July 28, 2024 by ALONSO

  • Read! This! Book! - an anthropologist/ethnologist examines human migration close up
This is a work of nonfiction, but don't let that scare you off. This book is beautifully written and easily consumable by all. (It's pretty intense, so if your middle schooler/high schooler wants to read it, I would recommend you read it too and discuss with them.) I couldn't put it down. You will get to know the very human characters in this story in very intimate ways. And though you may not care for the desperate actions they take and the sometimes brutal lives they live, their stories will open your eyes to the many complexities of human migration. I got this from the library, but now it is on order because I want it for my collection. And I am recommending it to friends and my reading group. Get the book! You won't regret it. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2024 by Amazon Customer Amazon Customer

  • Polarized
Boy, if the reader is against illegal immigration, the stories in this book will give a kick even more in that direction. It's like almost everything Trump has said negatively about illegal immigration gets affirmed here. The drugs and violence are zero benefits to wealth, prosperity, and happiness. Jason blames the situation on climate change and capitalism. Too shallow thinking to be a serious contribution to the problems of immigration. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on May 21, 2024 by R. Jeans

  • Thought provoking and important
4.5⭐️This book is an incredibly well written narrative that at its core gives a voice and nuance to a group of people who are often viewed in a very one dimensional way. The author of this book is an anthropologist who embedded with a group of smugglers moving migrants across Mexico over the course of seven years. I felt like this was an account of that time that shows the authors ability to connect and the power of that connection while paired with empathy and humanness. I also thought this account walked the line with neither villainizing or glossing over the actions of the individuals - but really painting together a picture that introduces nuance and cause and effect of policy decisions that have been made. There are no easy answers, but this book really does provide food for thought and reinforces the real human impact of the broader social and political elements at play. Thank you to Penguin Random House for the audiobook and Viking Books for the ARC! All thoughts are my own. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2024 by Sarah T

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