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November 2022 Vol. 60 No. 3

González de Bustamante and Relly (both, Univ. of Arizona) provide a comprehensive, well-researched text on the dangers to and restrictions placed on journalists in Mexico and the remarkable courage and perseverance many of these journalists exhibit by building solidarity with their peers. Journalism in Mexico—especially in the geographic, economic, and political peripheries of the country—is one of the highest-risk occupations in the world, and many life insurance companies do not even offer plans to journalists. The magnitude of the situation is evident in the book’s appendix, which lists the names of journalists killed in Mexico between 2000 and 2020. Organized crime thrives in Mexico with impunity because of the supply and demand in the US and Canada for human, narcotics, and weapons smuggling. Organized crime groups wield enormous power and frequently have political and economic relationships with government officials and media owners, imperiling the safety of journalists. The authors point out that the solutions to problems in Mexico must be complex and multipronged and must include more support from the US and Canada. An eye-opening account of a harrowing situation.

--K. Sorensen, Bentley University

Summing Up: Highly recommended. Undergraduates through faculty, practitioners, and general readers.