What People are Saying
“A great work.”
Margarito Flores, Jr, former Head of Logistics, the Flores DTO
~
“[R.V. Gundur] captured our story in such a compelling way and we are honored to be part of this amazing book.”
Valerie “Olivia” Flores, co-author of Cartel Wives
~
“[Gundur’s] 10 years of work is a vivid tableau of life in places like Juárez, Mexico, a needful corrective to the cinematic caricatures that present only the squalor of criminal enterprises.”
~
“Gundur’s probe of systems of underground money and those who participate in them lends many eye-opening realizations to the story that will engross law enforcement readers, social issues students interested in gang, criminal, and drug operations, and history readers who look for social inspections that delve deeper into the subject than simply documenting circumstances and facts.”
Diane Donovan for Midwest Book Review
~
“Gundur speaks in simple words and inclusive language about complex issues related to drug trafficking, street/prison gangs, drug trafficking organizations, corruption, politics, and violence. He paints a fascinating story about the mechanisms of drug trafficking and perfectly operates with data and literature […] a pivotal monograph.”
Piotr Chomczyński for Qualitative Social Review
~
“A free-flowing, ultimately highly illuminating odyssey encompassing three fascinating metropolitan regions, all highly salient to the American drug trade: Ciudad Juárez, Mexico /El Paso, Texas (the so-called Paso del Norte borderlands); Phoenix; and Chicago […] an important, deftly penned book.”
Russell Crandall for Rutgers Criminal Law and Criminal Justice Books
~
“An untainted image of the situation surrounding the drug trade in the USA […] Gundur systematically tackles and analyses the different angles and stances taken by American political figures and the general public on the issue of the drug trade.”
Readers’ Favorite, 5-star review
~
“Trying to Make It offers an up-to-date, honest, and straightforward view of the world from the perspective of real people involved in the narcotics trade. A beautifully written work.”
Scott Decker, Arizona State University, author of On Gangs
~
“Through extraordinary on-the-ground research, R. V. Gundur depicts the tragic existence of those who come from the margins of society to be involved in the drug trade. Composed of eighteen stories of broken promises, Trying to Make It brings humanity into the discussion.”
Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera, George Mason University, author of Los Zetas Inc.
~
“A riveting account of the American drug trade. Trying to Make It shows how the people, places, and politics of the drug trade’s engine—the street and prison gangs and cartels—are far more dynamic, opportunistic, and tenuous than we might think.”
David C. Pyrooz, University of Colorado Boulder, author of Competing for Control
Previews, Podcasts, and Media
Read Chapter12: “Adelita and Calista“
Read: Five Questions with R.V. Gundur at ANZSOC’s PacifiCrim
Listen: 1869, Ep. 120 [Apple] | [Spotify] | [Soundcloud] | [Read: Transcript]
Listen: The CrimAcademy, Ep. 59 [Apple] | [Spotify] | [Podbean] | [Read: Transcript]
Watch: OC24 2022, Author meets Critics (Youtube)
Watch: Mark Halsey interviews R.V. Gundur for Fearless Minds