Dirty Gold: The Rise and Fall of an International Smuggling Ring

"Dirty Gold" offers a compelling and eye-opening exploration of the dark side of the gold industry. The authors, through meticulous research and gripping storytelling, unveil the environmental and human impacts of illegal gold mining. The book sheds light on the intricate web of corruption, violence, and exploitation that fuels the gold trade, making readers question the true cost of this precious metal. While the subject matter is heavy, the book is well-written and informative, providing valuable insights into a complex and often hidden world. Recommended for readers interested in environmental and social justice issues.

I couldn’t put this book down. From the real, expertly characterized people and places to the connections drawn to our global systems of commerce, politics, and law enforcement I found Dirty Gold to be captivating from start to finish. The authors’ backgrounds in investigative reporting really shined through and I found myself constantly impressed by both the level of research and the construction of such a truly compelling, fast-paced narrative. I especially appreciated the ‘Solutions’ segment at the end; I’ve found many nonfiction books that are trying to explore such complex issues run into trouble when trying to be prescriptive but I found it to be a near perfect coda for a truly excellent book.

This was a well -crafted read. Although it is non-fiction ( based on a series of investigative reporting articles done by the authors for the Miami Herald; the authors were nominated for a Pulitzer ) it reads like a fiction drama, and explains the illegal gold trade in a way that is easy for a lay person to understand. After a couple of years of a plethora of non-fiction books about politics and COVID , this book was a welcome respite. It’s a good read & highly recommended

Page 248. "Schoonmaker was set to retire on Feb. 30, 2017" Really, since when does February have 30 days. This is an interesting book, but the deeper I get I wonder if anybody really edited it - lots of repetition, no central theme(s). Great stories, but again....do we still have book editors? or have they all been retired?

Fast-paced and easy to read, very enjoyable and a great insight into the machinations of a murky reality surrounding the gold industry in this part of Latin America.