This one is a good book on organized crime that looks like it lost its direction somewhere in the middle of the story. Or maybe author just did not know how to present all of the information he came across.

Author tells a very frightening story of Rio's favelas, how they came to be and how they evolved into ghetto's used by politicians of Rio as nothing more than voting sources. As such they proved to be a very suitable areas for gangsters of all kinds - due to high turn over rate of various criminal kingpins it is expected that some of them would be socially aware, something like Robin-Hood-look-a-likes. And true some of them actually had social plans and assisted their own comunities. Of course they continue selling guns, drugs etc to other favelas and parts of Rio but not in their own. State has no footprint here and what presence is there it is heavily corrupted - they basically act as just another gang.

But then author loses a story direction a bit. By telling the story of Antonio, Nem of Rocinha favela, he tries to tell the story of a man who becomes gangster by turn of events and not by his own choice. He is the kingpin of Rocinha favela, one that helps his people but as story goes on it gets lost that he is for all intents and purposes a gangster, cartel kingpin heavily involved in drug and gun trade. And this is where book loses the momentum. If humane side of Nem could have been given differently with point on social effect favelas have on their inhabitants - due both the internal (basically wild west environment without presence of [true] law enforcement, extremely poor communities) and external factors (treatment by other, richer, parts of city as something to be destroyed and removed to get access to the land for building and expansion and left at mercy of corrupted state officials) - this would be a much better book.

In any case for anyone interested in urban crime, urban development and social seggregation in modern metropolis this is highly recommended. ( )

Stephanie Nolen's review of this book was a bit harsh, but I have to agree that it is somewhat disjointed and hard to make sense of who all the players are. I also read the reviews in The Telegraph and The Guardian, which are generally favourable or at least neutral. Having spent some time in Ipanema, Leblon and Copacabana, in hindsight, it is scary how close this all is to every day life. ( )

Excellent rendering of a city and the genesis of a criminal - at once an examination of Rio's favela and the soul of one of its citizens. Through extensive research and many hours of interviews, Glenny manages to get us the inside story on a major player in Rio's underground and makes the story into an almost visually cinematic miniseries. A fascinating story. ( )

Nem ends up as Don of the Rocinha favela in Rio. In Misha Glenny's telling, Nem is more of a businessman than a criminal, and a provider of peace and prosperity, at least compared to other Dons. But several types of police, other gangs, and other dangers are always present in this corrupt world. ( )

Thank god for Book Depository.
A fantastic introduction to life in the slums of Rio, and who controlled them. The story takes place inside the Rochina favela, in Rio, and the Don who ran it. The Don being a major drug dealer, with a baby face known as Nem. The story gives you a god introduction to the life, poverty, and corruption in Rio at all levels of the government. This was a very good book. ( )