History of Billy the Kid

Charless A. Sirango retells the unvarnished and true history of a daring outlaw in the 1880s American Midwest. Written almost 40 years after the events, History of Billy the Kid uses the testimonies of "Billy the Kid", his fighting cowboys, and the officer who apprehended him to create a captivating narrative.

Henry McCarty "Billy the Kid" was an Old West gunslinger who became embroiled in New Mexico's Lincoln County War. As a contemporary of Henry, the author details how Billy was born in New York and eventually moved to Kansas before settling in New Mexico. It was here that he became employed by John Tunstall, who was engaged in a financial conflict with businessmen Lawrence Murphy, James Dolan, and John Riley.

Billy's involvement in the ensuing full-blown war is vividly retold in this book. His miraculous survival and escape from New Mexico are also accurately captured. Sirango also goes on to narrate Billy's life as an outlaw and eventual death at the hands of Sheriff Pat Garrett.

The History of Billy the Kid is a masterpiece that could easily be mistaken for a work of fiction. Most readers find this book riveting, especially since the legend of Billy the Kid has been romanticized for over a century.