Narcoliterature Explores the Realities of Mexico's Expanding Drug Culture Gisela Orozco - Chicago Tribune
go to original June 11, 2014

Los Señores del Narco by Anabel Hernández Check it out on Amazon.com

In Mexico, the drug culture has spawned a genre of its own: Narcoliterature - a blend of fiction and, in some cases, investigative journalism - explores the realities of drug culture.

Narcoliterature titles are among Amazon's 100 best-selling Libros en Español. "Los señores del narco," by Anabel Hernández, has been on the list for more than 300 days.

Narcoliterature is a genre populated by drug runners, victims and prostitutes. Is it merely a trend? Or can it have valid social and cultural impact?

"The structure of fiction with investigative research allows us to understand what is going on," said Lolita Bosch, a Mexican author who lives in Spain and has written several books on narcoliterature. "The reporting sometimes leaves us perplexed and is hard to place in any humane context. The fictional style allows us to understand, which is fundamental."

The historical context for narcoliterature is quite old and its roots humble. It started in "corridos," colorful ballads that attempted to capture chapters of Mexico's history. In songs, the accomplishments of the early heavyweights of the drug trade were chronicled, frequently including the details of their deaths. The stories eventually came to idealize the lives of these scoundrels.

Much later, the realities of the increasingly violent drug trade became media staples and inspired the narcoliterature genre.

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