A wild ride and revealing portrait of the controversial Pancho Villa, one of Mexico’s most beloved (or loathed) heroes, that finally establishes the importance of his role in the triumph of the Mexican Revolution, by renowned writer Paco Ignacio Taibo II.The last biography of Pancho Villa was published 25 years ago, and this new edition has been translated into English for the first time. This biography marks a kind of reinvention of the legendary Mexican figure of Pancho Villa. It is a masterful reevaluation and heavily researched account of his life. This book makes a new claim, finally giving Pancho Villa his due as the decisive figure in the success of Mexican Revolution. Here he is less the colorful bandito and more the incorruptible conscience that not only won key battles, but also maintained the revolutionary vision and led the way in terms of class consciousness.
Pancho Villa is a rollicking, sometimes hilariously comical, sometimes extremely violent, and always very personal portrait of the controversial Mexican historical figure Pancho Villa. Beloved crime writer Paco Ignacio Taibo II (a.k.a. PIT)—the prolific historian, biographer of Che Guevara and the founder of Mexican “neopolicial” fiction—brings his tremendous storytelling skills to an account of one of the Mexico’s greatest legendary characters.
With his vibrant narrative style, Taibo describes the adventures of Pancho Villa with incredible stories, the stuff of history and tragedy, backed up by tremendous research. Throughout, Taibo unveils secrets about the life of one of Mexico's most courageous and charismatic leaders. Includes period photographs that indelibly capture the rocky transition from the wild and agrarian past towards modern statehood.
"This is the biography of Pancho Villa, one of the greatest Mexican revolutionaries, written by Paco Ignacio Taibo II, implacable novelist and historian, who gave himself to the titanic task of narrating the life of the "Northern Centaur." Villa's journey, reckless and excessive, saturated with heroic and tragic events, has always been a timeless symbol of the Mexican Revolution. This book, written in the vibrant style of Taibo II, recounts the adventures--from the most extravagant details to the most momentous moments--of a shrewd, abstemious man, with a magnetic gaze, whose only law was that he gave himself. This narrative biography is faithful to the villista spirit: "This is used first," said Pancho, pointing at his head, "and then these--taking their testicles." Pancho Villa unbeatably portrays a complex character who always managed to escape the system, even after death"--
