A History of Violence

This is a book about one of the deadliest places in the world. El Salvador and Honduras have had the highest homicide rates in the world over the past ten years, with Guatemala close behind. Every day, more than 1,000 people—men, women, and children—flee these three countries for North America. Óscar Martínez, author of "The Beast," named one of the best books of the year by various publications, fleshes out these stark figures with true stories, producing a jarringly beautiful and immersive account of life in deadly locations. Martínez travels to Nicaraguan fishing towns, southern Mexican brothels where Central American women are trafficked, isolated Guatemalan jungle villages, and crime-ridden Salvadoran slums. With his precise and empathetic reporting, he explores the underbelly of these troubled places. He goes undercover to drink with narcos.