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BLOW: How a Small-Town Boy Made $100 Million with the Medellin Cocaine Cartel and Lost It All Paperback – March 21, 2001

by
Bruce Porter (Author)
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Bruce Porter (Author)
4.3 out of 5 stars 92 customer reviews
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Product Details

  • Paperback: 320 pages
  • Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin; Revised edition (March 21, 2001)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0312267126
  • ISBN-13: 978-0312267124
  • Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 0.9 x 8.8 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (92 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #950,919 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Top Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsIt is an amazing tale of an outlaw adventure
By Mike on September 9, 2015
Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase
This is an exceptionally well researched and written account, documenting the beginnings of one of the wealthiest, most powerful and violent international criminal syndicates in history. It is an amazing tale of an outlaw adventure. The movie "Blow" seriously pales in comparison w/ this book.

At its core, this is a story of outrageous greed and lust, in insane proportions (especially for power and money). As always, all of the major players end up the same way - dead, incarcerated or on the run.

As it concerns George Jung, while his exploits are highly entertaining to read about, he is NOT an individual to be admired or respected. He is a gangster mafioso, who spent much of his adult life as a fugitive, and/or a prison inmate. This amounts to a shameful, even sinful, waste of a life - considering Jung was born into a fine upper middle-class family from Massachusetts, and could have done much positive good w/ his life.

Perhaps one could be predisposed to looking favorably upon his time as a marijuana importer. However, his involvement in the cocaine trade amounts to pure evil. George Jung should be remembered for the serious damage his actions inflicted upon the people of Colombia, American society (especially as it concerns the crack cocaine epidemic), and his very own family (especially his parents, and his children).

There is one aspect of the book that I call into question, in terms of factual accuracy - and this concerns Jung's account of when he allegedly met Pablo Escobar at his ranch outside Medellin. In every documentary I have viewed, and book I have read (including "Killing Pablo" by Mark Bowden), Escobar is described as being short in stature (5' 6" at the most) and portly. However, Jung - through the author - states that Escobar was his height. The inconsistency of this detail is perplexing, and I am hoping someone might be able to set the record straight on this account.
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4.0 out of 5 starsBe very factual and realistic view of narcotics smuggling !
By Tulsa, Oklahoma on May 1, 2016
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
In a well written, solid character development, and excellent story line Bruce Porter clearly captures the growth of this blight on our country. Shows a sad tale of how great wealth will never buy a long and happy life. After reading the book I can't help but wonder why the United States government was asleep and allowed this smuggling to occur .
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5.0 out of 5 stars"BLOW" by Bruce Porter
By BrendaPartington on July 14, 2013
Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase
It was a wonderful read, with 3 book markers in different places at all times (so I could skip around in the book) plus I loved the photos of the different times of George Jung's Life. He was a True Legend -- one of a kind -- a "good" bad guy, and that is the main reason he got caught (busted) and is still in prison today. If he had been a really BAD bad guy, he would have gotten away with it. No thanks goes to his best friend and "brother" Carlos -- who definitely turned against him . . . . and others whom I will not bother to criticize. With much detail regarding the "smuggling industry" making the point that he really did work very hard at his craft, it goes to show that at some point, he became the "mule" being used to transport the "product" of those behind the cocaine business and at some point, his dream of being able to "retire" and live off his money that he had saved, became a fantasy, never to be fulfilled. Gotta LOVE the GUY! Let's pray he does not die in prison -- he has another story to tell later!
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4.0 out of 5 starsIgnore the movie it's basically fiction - read the book
By skidyver on November 15, 2010
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
I've intended to read this book ever since I saw the movie, at long last I did and my suspicions were confirmed. The book and movie are 180 degrees out from each other. The book is well written using elevated verbiage (ie not written on a third grade level) and with the exception of a few minor spelling errors it's a great book. And whereas the movie attempts to elicit sympathy for Jung the book simply tells the story as it is, there is precious little in the movie actually taken from Porter's book.

For example the character Tuna was noted as Jung's best friend in the movie when in reality he wasn't. Also Tuna was never involved in Jung's marijuana smuggling, in fact Tuna returns to Massachusetts very early and George and Tuna have no contact save one meeting. Barbara, the movie character noted as Jung's stewardess girlfriend when his pot smuggling ops began, is not dead she's alive and well, she was interviewed by Porter for the book. Another fallacy propagated in the movie was Jung's long term involvement with Diego (Carlos Lehder), there wasn't a long term partnership in fact Lehder cut Jung out very early on in their business relationship. Also while the movie vaguely covers George's intentions for his involvement with Mirtha and hints at his love for her, the book clearly spells it out - his involvement with Mirtha was purely a business decision love wasn't a factor.

The list of differences between the book and movie are far too long to cover it's much easier to cover the similarities. The movie covers the birth of Jung and Mirtha's daughter, Jung's only biological child, however it skips over the fact Jung was step-father to Mirtha's first child from a prior relationship.Read more ›
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4.0 out of 5 starsInteresting story
By kt on May 29, 2013
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
Certainly found this story interesting. I remember the flood of cocaine suddenly appearing on the horizon but never was aware that basically this one young man was responsible for it. I have since ordered a book about him. As horrible and destructive as this drug has been I had to admire (don't get me wrong on this) this young man's abilities in organizing this. If he had put his skills toward something legal, he may have not made as much money, but he would have definately been successful instead of spending his life in and out of and rotting in jail. Such a waste. Didn't surprise me at all it started in the Entertainment/Celebrity circles though.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

A good read

Published 12 days ago by Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

Loved the movie can't wait to read the book

Published 22 days ago by Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 starsBook in excellent condition

This book was in very good condition!!!! Am a very satisfied customer!!! Thank you!!!!

Published 25 days ago by Debra L. Schaaf
4.0 out of 5 starsExcellent book. A great companion to the movie

Excellent book. A great companion to the movie, which I had previously seen years ago.

Published 2 months ago by A. Etchechury
5.0 out of 5 starsBuy this book.

Awesome book. Written about 7 years before the movie. Has a ton of great quotes. God Bless Mr. Jung.

Published 2 months ago by Harry C
5.0 out of 5 starsThis was a very good read. If you saw the movie

This was a very good read. If you saw the movie, forget it, the book is much better. Learned a lot about the Colombian drug trafficking way of life. Read more

Published 3 months ago by Bradley A. Parks
5.0 out of 5 starsHigh highs and low lows.

Great read if you like this kind of tale. I had seen the movie years ago and decided to read the book on vacation. Almost couldn't put it down. Read more

Published 5 months ago by CorradoWest
4.0 out of 5 starsFour Stars

Good read and a great story.

Published 6 months ago by Jetes
5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

What a tale, huh ?

Published 7 months ago by Ashtabula
5.0 out of 5 starsI liked the movie

I liked the movie, so finally decided to purchase the book. I am not an avid reader, but did enjoy the book.

Published 7 months ago by Patrick A.

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