Martinez is a Salvadoran journalist specializing in some of the most despair-inducing subject matter you’ll ever read. A History of Violence is a collection of white-hot articles covering the Central American narco-trafficking scene. The man has either steel nerves or a death wish, finagling ride alongs with both sides of the law, and candid interviews with narco-lords and public officials of every shade of corruption. His description of prison power struggles will give you nightmares, except they aren’t imaginary. He remains a crusader, though his solution is an open question both to policy makers and Big Narcotics’ number-one customer—the USA.