As portrayed in the hit Netflix series Narcos, Guzman was the most legendary and notorious of the deadly Mexican cartel leaders. As leader of the deadly Sinaloa drug cartel, he was one of the most dangerous men in the world. His nickname El Chapo translates as 'shorty', but there was no question about his power as El Jefe, 'The Boss'.
His fearless climb to power, his brutality, his charm, his taste for luxury, his penchant for disguise, his multiple dramatic prison escapes, his unlikely encounters with Sean Penn-all of these burnished the image of the world's most famous outlaw.
It's not surprising that his story inspired the writers of a top-rating drama. El Chapo's Robin Hood-like appearances at rural Mexican restaurants to the unlikely role a twenty-four year old 'IT guy' played in his downfall - make for a surprising, cinematic story. He was finally captured by US and Mexican law enforcement in a daring operation years in the making.
From El Chapo's humble origins to his conviction in a Brooklyn courthouse, this is the definitive story of his life by the New York Times criminal justice reporter Alan Feuer's whose gripping coverage of his trial went viral.
There will be other 'El Chapo' narratives, but author Alan Feuer is in a unique position. Feuer's mastery of the complex facts of the case, his unparalleled access to confidential sources in law enforcement in both the US and Mexico, and his powerful understanding of disturbing larger themes-what this one man's life says about drugs, walls, class and money -will ensure that this is the one book to read about 'El Chapo'.
