The Shining Path

“Masterfully translated by Robin Kirk. . . . Gorriti skillfully relates the story of Sendero members, victims, and targets, weaving together a coherent description of the movement that challenged the survival of Peru as a nation.” — Latin American Research Review

“Impeccably researched, rigorous in its analysis, and often elegant in its prose (as well as expertly translated by Robin Kirk), this important book is fundamental reading for those who wish to understand the Shining Path.” — The Historian

“This important book . . . represents one of the most informative accounts of the first phase of the insurrection launched by the Partido Comunista del Perú - Sendero Luminoso.” — Latin American Studies

“Rich in the detail of Peruvian political life, the description is so lively that even the nonspecialist will appreciate this work. Strongly recommended to general readers, Latin American and Peruvian specialists, and students of revolutionary strategy.” — CHOICE

“Not the least important part of this remarkable book (originally published in Spanish in 1991) is its analysis of the turgid repetitions of the canonical texts of Marxism and, above all, Maoism, that were central to Sendero Luminoso. . . . Provides a brilliant indictment of the ineffective and corrupt police and intelligence services.” — Times Literary Supplement

“Gorriti’s classic account of the Sendero Luminoso retains all its immediacy and explanatory power in this fine translation by Robin Kirk. . . . A fine introduction to one of Latin America’s most gruesome conflicts in years.” — Foreign Affairs

“The Shining Path offers an insightful and painstakingly detailed account of one of the most infamous guerrilla groups in Latin American history. Gorriti reminds us of the forceful impact of serious investigative reporting and the risk journalists face to reveal the truth.” — José Miguel Vivanco, executive director, Americas division, Human Rights Watch

“With its vivid characters and tales of intrigue and violence, The Shining Path reads like a noir thriller. Yet Gustavo Gorriti’s account of Peru’s Maoist revolutionaries also describes in intricate detail a strategy for radical change which continues to be emulated by terrorist groups around the world. This is a stunning work of investigative journalism carried out under the most difficult circumstances.” — Joel Simon, Americas program coordinator, Committee to Protect Journalists

“Writing at the depths of a war that had plunged Peru into chaos and fear, Gustavo Gorriti produced one of the pioneering works of Latin American investigative journalism. This book endures not just as the essential history of the origins of Shining Path — uncompromising, literary, impeccably sourced — but as an act of moral courage.” — Philip Bennett, national news deputy editor, Washington Post

“Gorriti’s careful mastery of detail and his fine narrative sense make [this] an absorbing account.” — Latin American Research Review