Bring Me the Head of Joaquin Murrieta - by John Boessenecker (Hardcover)

About the Book

"The authoritative account of one of the most notorious outlaws of the West. Joaquin Murrieta's story is one for the ages. Fiercely compelling and epically woven, Bring Me the Head of Joaquin Murrieta details the bloody saga of the Latino outlaw. In myth, he embarked on a noble career as a rebel, fighting against injustice in the rough-and-tumble Wild West. However, though the 'Robin Hood of El Dorado' remains a folk hero to many, his extraordinarily dramatic and violent saga has been obscured by layers upon layers of legend -- until now. Through meticulous research and never-before-told stories of the bloody trail Murrieta and his band left in their wake, Bring Me the Head of Joaquin Murrieta chronicles their infamous escapades in this brilliant examination of the American story."--

Book Synopsis

"A detailed treatment of the bloody Gold Rush California milieu in which Murrieta moved."--Wall Street Journal

New York Times bestselling author and award-winning historian John Boessenecker--as seen on Netflix's Wyatt Earp and the Cowboy War--brings the authoritative account of one of the most notorious outlaws of the West

Joaquin Murrieta's story is one for the ages. Fiercely compelling and epically woven, Bring Me the Head of Joaquin Murrieta details the bloody saga of the Latino outlaw. In myth, he embarked on a noble career as a rebel, fighting against injustice in the rough-and-tumble Wild West. However, though the "Robin Hood of El Dorado" remains a folk hero to many, his extraordinarily dramatic and violent saga has been obscured by layers upon layers of legend--until now.

Through meticulous research and never-before-told stories of the bloody trail Murrieta and his band left in their wake, Bring Me the Head of Joaquin Murrieta chronicles their infamous escapades in this brilliant examination of the American story. Award-winning author and definitive Wild West historian John Boessenecker tells the story of Murrieta's sensational exploits and paints an absolutely gripping portrait of the California Gold Rush era for readers of H. W. Brands and Bryan Burrough.

"Boessenecker is by far the most talented author writing about gunfighters today."--Bryan Burrough

Review Quotes

Praise for Bring Me the Head of Joaquin Murrieta

"Boessenecker ably exposes the enormous gap between the myth of Murrieta and the man... A larger-than-life figure."--The New York Times Book Review

"Bring Me the Head of Joaquin Murrieta... offers readers a detailed treatment of the bloody Gold Rush California milieu in which Murrieta moved."--Wall Street Journal

"Boessenecker is an ace historian."--Frontier Partisans

"With deep research and never-before-told stories, the book transports readers back to the Gold Rush era and explores Murrieta's bloody career and legacy."--CaravanNews

"Detailed, compelling, and dotted with historic photos, paintings, and etchings, this book will be of interest to history buffs and Wild West aficionados."--New Times

"Deeply researched."--BookBub

"John [Boessenecker] has written a page-turner, destined to be an instant classic. [Bring Me the Head of Joaquin Murrieta] is immensely readable, and will be the standard source on its subject referred to by all other scholars for years to come."--Brian Dervin Dillon, The Branding Iron

"An instant classic... John Boessenecker provides the definitive story of Joaquin Murrieta, with a treasury of rare photos, valuable sources and stories one never expected to find."--Santa Cruz Sentinel

"With the precision of a historian and the instincts of a former lawman, Boessenecker peels back the layers of myth surrounding Murrieta..."--Santa Rosa Press-Democrat

"Boessenecker is by far the most talented author writing about gunfighters today."--Bryan Burrough