Strange Trade: The Story of Two Women Who Risked Everything in the International Drug Trade

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Basic Books, Sep 28, 2010 - True Crime - 336 pages
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Strange Trade tells the compelling stories of Mary, a Liberian drug courier with a college education, and Pauline, a Ugandan wife, mother, and drug cartel boss. A leading expert on women and organized crime, Asale Angel-Ajani spent years interviewing these women in Italy's notorious Rebibbia Prison—and gained unprecedented access into the narcotics trade. Herself the daughter of a drug trafficker, Angel-Ajani brings a wrenching, deeply personal perspective to the account of these women's lives, and offers a nuanced understanding of the global context within which African women are entering the drug trade in ever-increasing numbers.

Strange Trade follows Pauline and Mary as they traverse three continents, survive wars, poverty, and shattered families, secure drug shipments, and commit murder. Angel-Ajani paints rich, intimate, and profoundly surprising portraits without glamorizing, sanitizing, or offering judgment. The result is an unvarnished journey into a world that, until now, has remained hidden; and a glimpse into the motives that led these women to risk—and ultimately lose—everything.
 

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STRANGE TRADE: The Story of Two Women Who Risked Everything in the International Drug Trade

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Close-up account of the international drug trade, seen from the point of view of its foot soldiers.Drawing on her dissertation research, anthropologist Angel-Ajani leads readers into the minor hell of ... Read full review

Contents

Prologue
6
Chapter 1
8
Chapter 2
20
Chapter 3
29
Chapter 4
36
Chapter 5
40
Chapter 6
44
Chapter 7
51
Prologue
6
Chapter 1
8
Chapter 2
20
Chapter 3
29
Chapter 4
36
Chapter 5
40
Chapter 6
44
Chapter 7
51

Chapter 8
57
Chapter 9
63
Chapter 10
71
Chapter 11
76
Chapter 12
81
Chapter 13
86
Chapter 14
91
Chapter 15
99
Chapter 16
103
Chapter 17
111
Chapter 18
115
Chapter 19
121
Chapter 20
125
Chapter 21
130
Chapter 22
139
Chapter 23
145
Chapter 24
150
Chapter 25
156
Chapter 26
165
Chapter 27
169
Chapter 28
175
Chapter 29
178
Chapter 30
183
Chapter 31
192
Chapter 32
198
Chapter 33
203
Chapter 34
211
Chapter 35
215
Chapter 36
221
Chapter 37
225
Chapter 38
229
Chapter 39
236
Chapter 40
242
Chapter 41
249
Chapter 42
253
Chapter 43
262
Chapter 44
270
Chapter 45
278
Chapter 46
285
Chapter 47
295
Epilogue
309
Authors Note
319
Acknowledgments
323
About the Author
327
Contents
4
Chapter 8
57
Chapter 9
63
Chapter 10
71
Chapter 11
76
Chapter 12
81
Chapter 13
86
Chapter 14
91
Chapter 15
99
Chapter 16
103
Chapter 17
111
Chapter 18
115
Chapter 19
121
Chapter 20
125
Chapter 21
130
Chapter 22
139
Chapter 23
145
Chapter 24
150
Chapter 25
156
Chapter 26
165
Chapter 27
169
Chapter 28
175
Chapter 29
178
Chapter 30
183
Chapter 31
192
Chapter 32
198
Chapter 33
203
Chapter 34
211
Chapter 35
215
Chapter 36
221
Chapter 37
225
Chapter 38
229
Chapter 39
236
Chapter 40
242
Chapter 41
249
Chapter 42
253
Chapter 43
262
Chapter 44
270
Chapter 45
278
Chapter 46
285
Chapter 47
295
Epilogue
309
Authors Note
319
Acknowledgments
323
About the Author
327
Copyright

Other editions - View all

Strange Trade: The Story of Two Women Who Risked Everything in the ...
Asale Angel-Ajani
Limited preview - 2010
Strange Trade: The Story of Two Women Who Risked Everything in the ...
Asale Angel-Ajani
Limited preview - 2010
Strange Trade: The Story of Two Women Who Risked Everything in the ...
Asale Angel-Ajani
No preview available - 2010

Common terms and phrases

African airport Albert Asale asked Bresnik called Carabinieri ChaPter Charles cocaine Connie couldn’t crew didn’t want door Emmanuel everything eyes face feeling felt fight friends front galley kitchen girls going guard hand Hassan and Jojo head heard heroin inmates interview Italian Italy Ivory Coast Joyce Kampala laugh leave letter Liberia Listen lived looked Maccari Maria Mary Mary’s meet mind Monrovia months mother move needed never Nigeria nodded okay Patrick Pauline knew Pauline’s police Prince Johnson prison pulled Rebibbia Rome Samson Samuel Doe Sani Abacha seemed Sheila shouting Simona sister sitting smile someone sound Spain speak spoke stared started stay stood stop story street sure talk tell things thought told took trafficking tried trying turned Ugandan Villa Ada waited walked wanted wasn’t sure watched weeks window woman women worried

About the author (2010)

Asale Angel-Ajani earned her MA and her PhD in anthropology from Stanford University. She is the author of numerous articles and is the coeditor of the collection Engaged Observer. Angel-Ajani has traveled from West Africa to South America, witnessing the impact of drug trafficking and civil war on the lives of women. Before turning to writing full-time, she was a professor at New York University and the University of Texas at Austin. She is married and has two young children. This is her first book.

Bibliographic information

QR code for Strange Trade
TitleStrange Trade: The Story of Two Women Who Risked Everything in the International Drug Trade
AuthorAsale Angel-Ajani
PublisherBasic Books, 2010
ISBN1580053793, 9781580053792
Length336 pages
Subjects › 

True Crime / Organized Crime
  
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