Sam Quinones

Sam Quinones is one of the most acclaimed authors of nonfiction books. His unique blend of rigorous reporting and dynamic prose has earned him two Pushcart Prizes, two Edgar Awards, and a series of other accolades. He has primarily focused his work on issues of marginalized and overused communities, including Mexico and its citizens, drug trafficking, and the work of community activists. Prior to writing, Quinones was a Mexican-American journalist, having worked as a foreign correspondent in Mexico, until he retired in early 2006.

Sam Quinones is perhaps best known for his two major books: "Dreamland: The True Tale of America's Opiate Epidemic" and "True Tales from Another Mexico: The Lynch Mob, the Popsicle Kings, Chalino, and the Bronx." In these works, Quinones sheds light on the history and cause of the opioid crisis in his native America, as well as the vibrant culture of the people and communities who suffer from it.

In "Dreamland: The True Tale of America's Opiate Epidemic," Quinones seeks to unravel the story of the national opioid crisis, illustrating its connectedness to logistics, healthcare, and marketing, as well as its links to a liberalization of policy and regulation throughout the US. He combines personal accounts from addicts and dealers with historical research to paint a vivid picture of the complicated relationship between prescription painkillers, high profits, and illegal trafficking.

In "True Tales from Another Mexico: The Lynch Mob, the Popsicle Kings, Chalino, and the Bronx," Quinones continues his focus on the underrepresented, investigating the hustle and creativity of Mexican migrants within the Mexican boroughs in the Bronx. He provides extensive firsthand accounts of the difficulties these individuals face, as well as their human courage and kindness. He draws on his lifetime experience as a journalist and Mexican-American to illustrate the complex dynamics of Mexican immigrant life and their links to the criminal underworld.

Alongside his two major books, Quinones has also authored several journalistic works and essays throughout his career, often focusing on his Mexican-American experience as well as international drug trafficking. In 2011, he collected his best essays into the collection "Antonio's Gun and Delfino's Dream: True Tales of Mexican Migration." This collection further underlines Quinones' commitment to exploring the stories that are easily overlooked by mainstream media.

Quinone’s work is marked by a unique combination of empathy and insight. His reporting is the result of meticulous research, and he is often able to strike the perfect balance between humanizing his reporting and exploring the larger forces that shape the lives of his characters. His writing is often acclaimed for vividly capturing the struggle and beauty of the marginalized, and both his works and his career have been honored with numerous awards and prizes.