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17th out of 312 books
—
433 voters
Killing Pablo: The Hunt for the World's Greatest Outlaw
by
Mark Bowden
A tour de force of investigative journalism-this is the story of the violent rise and fall of Pablo Escobar, the head of the Colombian Medellin cocaine cartel. Escobar's criminal empire held a nation of thirty million hostage in a reign of terror that would only end with his death. In an intense, up-close account, award-winning journalist Mark Bowden exposes details never...more
Paperback, 304 pages
Published
April 2nd 2002
by Penguin Books
(first published 2001)
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Very interesting and packed with facts and info about the modern history of Colombia. Bowden gives the reader a good feel for the cultural attitudes and politics of Colombia's people and government. The problem I had with Bowden's style was the lack of clarity in his chronology, which caused me to read several paragraphs over and over until it became clear.
On a personal note, I traveled to Colombia during the most dangerous point in the setting of this story, the fall of 1992. It was fascinating...more
On a personal note, I traveled to Colombia during the most dangerous point in the setting of this story, the fall of 1992. It was fascinating...more
I originally was fascinated and awed by the life and story of Escobar and held a sort of reverence for the man, but during and after reading this book I was rooting for him to be caught and killed. For someone who is an adamant pacifist, it was striking for me to feel relieved by someone's death.
Jul 28, 2007
asteroidbuckle
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
True Crime Fans, History Buffs
Shelves:
military-history
Mark Bowden does an excellent job of telling the story of the hunt for Colombian drug trafficker Pablo Escobar. The story of Pablo's life and his meteoric rise to the top of the Colombian drug trade is very reminiscent of the rise to power of many American mafia dons with just as much murder, mayhem, and corruption.
I read this book after seeing the History Channel documentary and learned even more from the book. The "chase scene" at the end of the book is riveting and it felt like I was reading...more
I read this book after seeing the History Channel documentary and learned even more from the book. The "chase scene" at the end of the book is riveting and it felt like I was reading...more
Bowden, of Black Hawk Down (the book), gives a gripping account of the manhunt for Pablo Escobar in the 90s. Brief background on his rise is given, along with the various political wheelings and dealings.
At times Bowden eschews narrative in favor of accounting; there are so many compelling stories and characters in the hunt, and the reader sometimes feel as if he's "missing out" on the broader impacts. While the work is nonfiction, it seems hard to believe there is nothing more to be said about...more
At times Bowden eschews narrative in favor of accounting; there are so many compelling stories and characters in the hunt, and the reader sometimes feel as if he's "missing out" on the broader impacts. While the work is nonfiction, it seems hard to believe there is nothing more to be said about...more
This book was a historical account of the incredible efforts taken by the Colombian and American governments to eliminate Pablo Escobar, who was not only a cocaine kingpin, but also a violent criminal responsible for the death of hundreds of people who were either innocent or members of a rival cartel. The book starts by explaining how Escobar got his Empire started and then tells how it slowly started to crumble. There is no one set main character; although in the beginning one might say that P...more
Book Summary
My book name was killing Pablo Escobar, but first the book start tacking Cesar Gaviria he was part of the government in Colombia and a lot of people like how he help family and help Colombian citizens when one days he was kill by a men that was dressing like a homeless and a lot people suffered because he’s died after that the book tack about Pablo Escobar start he’s life when he was a teenager he start stilling car in Medellin Colombia and he never finish high because he start in t...more
Luis Seanez
Per 3
English 4
11-22-11
“El Doctor”
Killing Pablo, a non-fiction biography, exhibits the ludicrous rise and demise of the
Colombian cocaine cartel kingpin, Pablo Escobar. Most of the story takes place in Escobar's home town of Medellin, Columbia. He is no ordinary drug smuggler but known to be the most vicious, handsomely dressed, yet kindest man you could ever work for. Mark Bowden clearly accomplished his purpose in writing this book and drastically informs the audience with m...more
Killing Pablo is an excellent action story. The author is not even a terribly gifted writer, but the story itself more than makes up for it.
You would never knew it if you met him, but Pablo Escobar was a serious criminal. He was a short chubby affable guy, who didn't even use cocaine (he preferred cannabis). He was very popular amongst the poor and people of Medellin as he invested heavily into the community using the astronomical profits made from selling cocaine to the US. But make no mistake...more
You would never knew it if you met him, but Pablo Escobar was a serious criminal. He was a short chubby affable guy, who didn't even use cocaine (he preferred cannabis). He was very popular amongst the poor and people of Medellin as he invested heavily into the community using the astronomical profits made from selling cocaine to the US. But make no mistake...more
Before reading this book I knew, through popular media, that Pablo Escobar was a drug kingpen who lived lavishly while publicly evading the law but who eventually fell and was jailed or something. A conversation with a Colombian student of mine who was surprised that I didn't know more about this cocaine mafioso led me to Mark Bowden's narration of the events that led to Escobar's assassination.
Upon reading the first 100 pages, my opnion of Escobar evolved from a general disliking of the type of...more
Upon reading the first 100 pages, my opnion of Escobar evolved from a general disliking of the type of...more
Contrary to what you read on the dust jacket Killing Pablo does not read like the best of novels. It reads like hastily assembled notes put together without the benefit of much reflection by either the author or an editor. The narrative sometimes contradicts itself in the same paragraph; seemingly important revelations are forgotten; timelines are jumbled. This leaves the book with two devices to help it along: the drama of its sensational story and the promise of scandalous revelations gleaned...more
I am a huge Mark Bowden fan. I loved Black Hawk Down, Guests of the Ayatollah, and Worm. And while this was very good, it was my least favorite of his. Not because this was bad, only because the others were so good. This was definitely a worth while read, and a bit of an eye opener for me. The most amazing part of the book to me is that it really validates (the old) Tom Clancy. His Clear and Present Danger (published in 1990) - which I thought was a wonderful thriller of speculative fiction, - a...more
Perceptions of Colombia have changed a lot since I was a kid in the early 90s. It's much more peaceful now and while drugs may still be a problem down there, people are more likely to think of Shakira or Gabriel Garcia Marquez before they think of things like 'failed state' and 'narco-trafficantes.' Marc Bowden's fabulous book, Killing Pablo takes us back to one of the most infamous men at the heart of the violence that gripped the country: Pablo Escobar.
Bowden originally reported this story in...more
Bowden originally reported this story in...more
This is great stuff! Bowden’s 1999 best-seller Black Hawk Down was a masterpiece of the genre. Killing Pablo, published in 2001, keeps that momentum going. It tells the tale of the rise and fall of, arguably, the greatest gangster (outside of government) of the 20th century. It is fast-paced, gripping, and gives one a feel for Colombia during the period when narco-terror ruled. (It’s all better now, right?) There is a large cast of characters portrayed here; Steve Jacoby, and American signals in...more
Aug 09, 2010
Andrew Russell
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
non-fiction,
2010
As the title suggests, this book tells the tale of the manhunt for Colombian Cartel leader Pablo Escobar. It also provides a fascinating insight into his personality and how he rose to such a dominant position of power in Colombia and in particular his birthplace of Medellin.
The book does contain a great deal of politics but this in no way detracts from the book and could arguably even add to the level of intrigue and informativeness of the book. It lends a level of understanding of the politica...more
The book does contain a great deal of politics but this in no way detracts from the book and could arguably even add to the level of intrigue and informativeness of the book. It lends a level of understanding of the politica...more
In his inimitable journalistic style, Bowden gives his subject the same treatment as he did in his celebrated "Blackhawk Down", and the results are spellbinding. You come away with a definite impression of how harrowing the hunt for Escobar must have been, how corrupt Colombia was, and how maniacal was "el patron" and his henchmen. Bowden gives us insights into the lives of all the principal protagonists, both criminals and the American and Colombian good guys, in this real life drama. He also d...more
One of the books I read during vacation on my new Kindle. I'm a big fan of Mark Bowden and this book did not disappoint at all. It was an easy read and an absolutely fascinating look at the rise and fall of the man that not only controlled the cocaine 'industry' but pretty much the entire government of Columbia.
The technology used to ultimately track him down was amazing. For example, the US Government's Centra Spike team from the comforts of their Beechcraft Aircraft 23,000feet above the city c...more
The technology used to ultimately track him down was amazing. For example, the US Government's Centra Spike team from the comforts of their Beechcraft Aircraft 23,000feet above the city c...more
This well told, if a bit over-told, story of Pablo Escobar, the man who held a country of 27 million hostage, raises interesting questions for those of us living in post 9-11 times. On the one-hand, the author makes very clear that this wanna-be Latin Robin Hood, who built apartments and soccer stadiums for the poor with his $5-$10 billion in drug money, was nevertheless a very bad man who killed presidential candidates, the prosecutors who investigated him, the police who accompanied them and t...more
Killing Pablo adequately blends together two interesting stories. The first is the background component, relating the shocking violence of Colombia and the rise of the narcotics king and super criminal Pablo Escobar. The second piece is the account of the Colombians and Americans who worked to bring him down.
Mark Bowden, who seized international recognition years ago with Black Hawk Down, dove into a much larger topic when choosing to go for both a short biography and the tale of a stumbling but...more
Mark Bowden, who seized international recognition years ago with Black Hawk Down, dove into a much larger topic when choosing to go for both a short biography and the tale of a stumbling but...more
Jul 28, 2011
Dave
added it
Finally knocked this off my tick list. Good read, but its writing style is more historical than dramatic. I'm sure that was intentional as the story is full of drama by itself. But it lacks the gripping, page-turning tone of Bowden's "Black Hawk Down." The real highlight is demonstrating the cost to non-US citizens of our country's addictions. I had no idea about the sheer volume of murder, mayhem, corruption, and wealth that all concentrated in one tiny country as a result of our thirst for coc...more
Picked this up in a hostel in Colombia and finished in two days or so...
1.) I'm glad I read it after being in the country for a little while already, I think if I had read it before going it would have slanted my view a bit. As someone who is trying to be a 'responsible' tourist, it's important to acknowledge that part of the country's history, but I think it's also important to realize that that era is over.
2.) The book itself was very well-done, though a bit too macho. I knew only the peripher...more
1.) I'm glad I read it after being in the country for a little while already, I think if I had read it before going it would have slanted my view a bit. As someone who is trying to be a 'responsible' tourist, it's important to acknowledge that part of the country's history, but I think it's also important to realize that that era is over.
2.) The book itself was very well-done, though a bit too macho. I knew only the peripher...more
Bowden does an incredible job at keeping the reader hooked as he details the account of the Colombian government's (with support from the U.S.) hunt of Pablo Escobar, drug lord and terrorist of the Medellin cartel.
After amassing millions in the drug trade, Pablo went into hiding after several assassinations and terrorist attacks on the Colombian people and government. Most interesting to me was the hunt involving CIA's Centra Spike surveillance planes and the Los Pepes, a vigilante group determi...more
After amassing millions in the drug trade, Pablo went into hiding after several assassinations and terrorist attacks on the Colombian people and government. Most interesting to me was the hunt involving CIA's Centra Spike surveillance planes and the Los Pepes, a vigilante group determi...more
I used to be totally into the stories of the Colombian drug lords in college, and this book has both put that fascination into a cultural context, and made it far less interesting.
The book details the hunt for Escobar as an outlaw by the US and Colombian forces. It took a long, long time. It was amazing, fascinating, and horrifying to hear about the culture of violence that has permeated Colombia since forever, and it was also very interesting, as usual, to learn about how much cash was flowing...more
The book details the hunt for Escobar as an outlaw by the US and Colombian forces. It took a long, long time. It was amazing, fascinating, and horrifying to hear about the culture of violence that has permeated Colombia since forever, and it was also very interesting, as usual, to learn about how much cash was flowing...more
This book was interesting and shed light on the operation (and US involvement in) of finding the infamous Colombian narco-terrorist, Pablo Escobar. However, the material was originally published as a series of articles in a newspaper and it reads that way. There is a lot of overlap and catching up new readers (i.e. introducing a main character 80% of the way through the book). This makes sense to do when publishing the content as articles with time lapsing between publish dates, but as a novel,...more
Killing Pablo has an incredible plot, and very uninspiring writing and shoddy, unforgivable editing. This does not read like a book at all, but a first attempt at a (bad) magazine article. Being non fiction, this story is in the public domain. Yet, the pathetic research done by Mark Bowden puts one off, giving an extremely sketchy, uneven overview of the whole scenario and kills the supposed thrill emanating from the chase.
The story is simple, Pablo Escobar, kingpin of cocaine dealers, big shit...more
The story is simple, Pablo Escobar, kingpin of cocaine dealers, big shit...more
Book 3 of 3 taken to Trinidad...
Woo HOO, couldn't put this book down, the history of the rise and protracted fall of Pablo Escobar, as he went from a somewhat revered and accepted Colombian narcobusinessman, to the most wanted man in the Western Hemisphere following his forays into international terrorism.
Well-written, Bowden's extensive research with so many of the parties involved including the government of Colombia, the clandestine forces, and military, and various journalists, provide for a...more
Woo HOO, couldn't put this book down, the history of the rise and protracted fall of Pablo Escobar, as he went from a somewhat revered and accepted Colombian narcobusinessman, to the most wanted man in the Western Hemisphere following his forays into international terrorism.
Well-written, Bowden's extensive research with so many of the parties involved including the government of Colombia, the clandestine forces, and military, and various journalists, provide for a...more
I was blown away by this story. Not only is it gripping and unbelievable, it is true!! You could really tell the author did his homework. He gives a great description of the atmosphere and tension in Colombia in the 80's and 90's. I kept finding myself bringing out these soundbites at bars/parties. There are so many little stories in this book that are simply amazing. For a moment, a very short moment, I actually rooted for him. He really was doing some good things in Medellin. But that quickly...more
Killing Pablo is a non-fiction account of the activities of and manhunt for Pablo Escobar, once-upon-a-time supreme Columbian druglord. It's a pretty involving read (mainly because the story itself is so incredible) but what really recommended the book to me wasn't the activities of Pablo himself, per se, but the description of the terror and disorganization of Colombian society as held captive by the druglords and civil war. Ironically, I found the manhunt part less interesting than the story o...more
Killing Pablo The Hunt For The World's Greatest Outlaw
This is the 2nd book I have read by Mark Bowden. Like the , The Finish - The Killing of Osama Bin Laden, I was held captive. This book begins with some history of Columbia which I plan to read more of and covers all the politics involving the US and other countries. The blood shed and corruption of the cartels and of the many organizations after Pablo was mind boggling. The money spent and the technology used going after Pablo and the time i...more
This book reads like an action movie, done by the same author that the movie "Blackhawk Down" is based on. I found myself cheering for Pablo, (why is that??) but you know based on the fact that his corpse is on the cover that it does not end well for him. It's not too long, and keeps you interested throughout. The most gripping part for me was just how powerful the narco-business leaders are, that they essentially had the government, police, and judges in their back pocket. It is a ruthless worl...more
All i knew about Pablo was that he was involved with drugs. I did not know how ruthless and creative he was. Anyone who threatened his empire better be careful and have their family be careful. He might just kill all your lineage for looking at him wrong. He masterminded a impressive drug ring and was bring in the money. Some even hailed him a Robin hood type character because he would give back to the community. At one point he decided to turn himself in but instead of going to a government fun...more
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Mark Robert Bowden (born July 17, 1951) is an American writer who is currently a contributing editor at Vanity Fair. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, and a 1973 graduate of Loyola College in Maryland, Bowden was a staff writer for The Philadelphia Inquirer from 1979-2003, and has won numerous awards. He has written for Men's Journal, The Atlantic Monthly, Sports Illustrated, and Rolling Stone over the...more
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“Sometimes the fate of an entire nation can hinge on the integrity of one man.”
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