Marching Powder

by Rusty Young
Marching Powder cover
Good Books rating 4.5
Investigative Journalism
Buy online
Waterstones
Paperback • £12.99
Amazon
Format/Price Check
Technical
  • ID: 2835
  • Added: 2025-10-16
  • Updated: 2025-10-16
  • ISBN: 9780312330347
  • Publisher: Macmillan
  • Published: 2004-05-01
  • Formats: 1
  • Reviews: 2

Marching Powder offers a raw and unfiltered look into the surreal world of San Pedro Prison in Bolivia, where inmates live in a twisted version of freedom, running businesses and even hosting tourists. The book provides a unique perspective on the human condition, survival, and the blurred lines between incarceration and liberty. Through vivid storytelling, the author paints a picture of a prison that defies conventional norms, where drugs, corruption, and a strange sense of community coexist. This is not just a tale of crime and punishment, but a profound exploration of resilience and the lengths to which people go to maintain their dignity in the most unlikely of places.

Reviews
The StoryGraph · 2025-10-16
astonishing 4.50

The reviewer found the book to be a gut-wrenching and astonishing account of life in San Pedro prison, with a story that is both heartbreaking and shocking.

This book is a wild and emotional ride, offering a gut-wrenching and astonishing look at life inside San Pedro prison. The story is both heartbreaking and shocking, leaving the reader with a sense of awe at the resilience of the human spirit. It's a story that will stay with you long after you finish reading it.

Quick quotes

    This book is wild. It's gut wrenching, sick, heartbreaking and astonishing all at once.

    Thomas's story is one of the most incredible tales you'll ever hear, and it's all true.

    The conditions in San Pedro prison are described in vivid detail, making it hard to look away from the page.

Amazon.co.uk · 2025-10-16
compelling 4.50

The reviewer describes the book as a darkly comic and shocking account of life in San Pedro prison, highlighting its bizarre and intense nature.

This book provides a darkly comic and sometimes shocking look at life inside San Pedro, the world's most unusual prison. Through the eyes of an Englishman, the story unfolds with a mix of humor and horror, offering a unique perspective on a truly bizarre place. While the narrative can be intense, it's a compelling read for those interested in true crime and unconventional stories.

Quick quotes

    A darkly comic, sometimes shocking account of life in San Pedro, the world's most bizarre prison, through the eyes of one bemused Englishman.

    This story was written by Aussie Rusty Young in first person from the point of view of the protagonist McFadden.

    Visitors to the San Pedro prison in Bolivia are rare, but this book offers a unique glimpse into the lives of those who have experienced it firsthand.

Appears in Lists