Some People Need Killing: A Memoir of Murder in My Country By Patricia Evangelista [English, Paperback]

Some People Need Killing: A Memoir of Murder in My Country
By Patricia Evangelista
Paperback | 448 pages | Published March 4, 2025

A fearless memoir and investigative exposé from one of the Philippines’ most courageous journalists.

Some People Need Killing is Patricia Evangelista’s groundbreaking account of the Philippines' war on drugs under former President Rodrigo Duterte. With unflinching clarity, Evangelista documents the wave of extrajudicial killings that shook the nation—and the world—exposing how fear, propaganda, and power can erode a democracy from within.

A former investigative reporter for Rappler, Evangelista spent six years immersed in the aftermath of state violence, interviewing victims’ families, witnesses, and the perpetrators themselves. The title is taken from a chilling quote by a vigilante, encapsulating the moral unraveling at the heart of Duterte’s regime.

Critical Acclaim:

• TIME Magazine’s #1 Nonfiction Book of the Year
• Named a Best Book of the Year by The New York Times, The New Yorker, and The Economist
• Winner of the New York Public Library’s Helen Bernstein Book Award
• Finalist for the Chautauqua Prize and the Moore Prize for Human Rights Writing

What Makes This Book Essential:
Evangelista weaves literary craftsmanship with hard-hitting reportage, creating a memoir that is both intimate and politically urgent. She explores not only what happened, but how it happened—through language, fear, and complicity. Her voice is honest, vulnerable, and deeply aware of the stakes.

Ideal for readers interested in:

• Filipino history and politics
• Human rights and social justice
• Investigative journalism and memoirs
• Global democracy and authoritarianism
• Books like Empire of Pain, Educated, or Night

Why Hottropiks Recommends It:
This is one of the most important nonfiction books ever written by a Filipino author. It speaks not only to the Filipino diaspora but to anyone concerned about state violence, media suppression, and the fight to preserve truth in dangerous times. Evangelista’s work is a landmark in Philippine literature and journalism.

Support Filipino voices. Add this powerful memoir to your library today.