Soldiers And Kings by Jason De León Summary
Overview of Soldiers And Kings
Inside the shadowy world of human smuggling, Jason De Leon's National Book Award-winning expose reveals coyotes as complex humans, not villains. What drives someone to risk everything? As Matthew Desmond notes, this "extraordinary reportage" will leave you forever changed.
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The Invisible Human Cost of Border Policies
The grave of Roberto in Honduras bears the wrong death date-a final indignity for someone society deemed disposable. Unlike media portrayals of predatory smugglers, Roberto was just a skinny Honduran kid guiding others through familiar terrain. His modest funeral represents countless others caught in the clandestine migration economy-desperate people with nicknames like Kingston, Flaco, and Alma, whose real identities often remain mysteries until etched on tombstones. Through seven years of immersive fieldwork, anthropologist Jason De Leon gained unprecedented access to smugglers' lives, revealing a perspective rarely seen. While politicians debate border security in abstract terms, the reality is that America's border policies have created the very smuggling networks they claim to fight. This isn't just about "bad people" exploiting others-it's about a complex ecosystem born from desperation, inequality, and misguided enforcement strategies. In an upscale Tegucigalpa restaurant, I sit among Honduras' elite while outside lies a country ravaged by poverty and violence. I'm here to interview members of GOET, a Honduran police force created during the Obama administration to prevent migration. Despite wearing Honduran flags, these agents receive significant American support. Their mission: intercept migrants without proper documentation. The agents candidly acknowledge the desperation driving their fellow citizens to flee. "Many migrants have told me they would prefer to die en el camino than stay home and wait to die from gang violence or hunger," one admits. Honduras-the original "banana republic"-suffers from decades of U.S. intervention and extreme inequality, with nearly half the population living on less than $5.50 per day.
The Evolution of Migration Networks
The Brutal Economics of Human Smuggling
Born Into Violence: The Making of Smugglers
Women on the Migrant Trail
Cycles of Violence and Survival
The Human Cost of Border Enforcement
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"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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