Narcocorrido: A Journey into the Music of Drugs, Guns, and Guerrillas Book

(3.5 stars) This work is part travel book/part descriptor of a man looking to describe the history and different types of the narcocorridos out there. At the start of the book and for much of Mexico and the Southwestern United States, the narcocorrido is truly a drug ballad. They usually focus on men and women involved in the drug smuggling trade, with various forms of crime, love and heartbreak. The songs have as much murder, violence and dispair as the actual drug trade, with some cartels actively seeking narcocorridos to honor their exploits. Yet, as the author travels through Mexico, the corrido is more than just the ballad to the drug trade. They will cover so many other things, from the various forms of political and military unrest that have plagued Mexico in the 20th century. Some of the singers have an extensive library of songs and recorded albums, and others are just mere local singers, plying their art/trade in their local areas.

Throughout the book the reader will pick up much of Mexico's history, for good or bad. This book is an older read, so it would be interesting to see what has changed in the past decade. Admittedly, growing up in Texas I don't recall hearing a lot of the narcocorridos, as they were not a stable of Tejano, but they have their place in Mexican music. Maybe an audiobook would be better if the author could get the music (or what music he could obtain in recordings) to help with the account. Still, worth the time to read/check out.