Marc
Member
Registered: 11th Aug 02
Location: York
User status: Offline
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Anyone read it? Just bought it.
Marching Powder is the story of Thomas McFadden, a small-time English drug smuggler who was arrested in Bolivia and thrown inside the notorious San Pedro prison. He found himself in a bizarre world, the prison reflecting all that is wrong with South American society. Prisoners have to pay an entrance fee and buy their own cells (the alternative is to sleep outside and die of exposure), prisoners' wives and children often live inside too, high quality cocaine is manufactured and sold from the prison, and all the police from the governor downwards can be bribed. Under the surface is a frightening level of violence - Thomas's life was often in danger and one of his friends was murdered by the police when he threatened to expose the corruption in the prison. Thomas ended up making a living by giving backpackers tours of the prison - he became a fixture on the backpacking circuit and was named in the Lonely Planet guide to Bolivia. When he was told that for a bribe of USD5000 his sentence could be overturned, it was the many backpackers who'd passed through who sent him the money. Sometimes shocking, sometimes funny, Marching Powder is an always riveting story of survival.
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Danny P
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Registered: 20th Nov 02
Location: Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire
User status: Offline
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I've read it.
Good book.
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DannyB
Premium Member
Registered: 6th Feb 08
User status: Offline
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Sounds good that, I love anything like this. I'm going to see if it's on eGay, I'll probably give it a whirl.
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Marc
Member
Registered: 11th Aug 02
Location: York
User status: Offline
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I managed to find a first edition too 
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Hammer
Member
Registered: 11th Feb 04
User status: Offline
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Like the sound of it, do us a book club review when you've finished reading it Marcus.
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DannyB
Premium Member
Registered: 6th Feb 08
User status: Offline
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I'm currently reading Mark 'Chopper' Reids books, I'm half way through book 3 out of 9, brilliant books.
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Marc
Member
Registered: 11th Aug 02
Location: York
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Hammer
Like the sound of it, do us a book club review when you've finished reading it Marcus.
Book Day?
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redhotpanther
Member
Registered: 18th Aug 08
Location: Lincolnshire
User status: Offline
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I have this book and it is awesome!
A very eye opening yet bizzare story.
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MatthewR
Member
Registered: 21st Oct 02
Location: Rickmansworth
User status: Offline
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read The Ice Man, confessions of a contract killer
Awesome read
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