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The Western Frontier Library
The Authentic Life of Billy the Kid
Twelve decades after Billy the Kid's death in 1881, books, movies, and essays about this western outlaw are still popular. And they all go back to one source: The Authentic Life of Billy, the Kid, published in 1882 by the man who killed Billy, Sheriff Pat Garrett.Frederick Nolan, an authority on the American Southwest, examines the legends introduced by The Authentic Life and shows how Garrett's book is responsible for misconceptions about the Kid's early life and his short, violent career. Many inaccuracies in The Authentic Life can be attributed to a ghostwriter, Marshall Ashmun "Ash" Upson, but Garrett's contributions also are flawed. As Nolan reveals, the sheriff glossed over events that made him look less than perfect.
This new edition, complete with the original text, corrects Upson's errors, amplifies Garrett's narrative, and elucidates the causes and course of the Lincoln County War in New Mexico during the 1870s. Nolan provides an introduction that reappraises the last fatal meeting of Garrett and Billy the Kid, as well as a postscript about the snakebitten life of the sheriff after the moment that made him famous.
This new edition, complete with the original text, corrects Upson's errors, amplifies Garrett's narrative, and elucidates the causes and course of the Lincoln County War in New Mexico during the 1870s. Nolan provides an introduction that reappraises the last fatal meeting of Garrett and Billy the Kid, as well as a postscript about the snakebitten life of the sheriff after the moment that made him famous.
197 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1882
208 people are currently reading
783 people want to read
About the author
Pat F. Garrett
20 books4 followersPatrick "Pat" Floyd Garrett was an American Old West lawman, bartender, and customs agent who was best known for killing Billy the Kid.[2] He was also the sheriff of Lincoln County, New Mexico.
Patrick Floyd Garrett was born in Cusseta, Alabama. He grew up on a prosperous Louisiana plantation near Haynesville in northern Claiborne Parish, just below the Arkansas state line. He left home in 1869 and found work as a cowboy in Dallas County, Texas. In 1875, he left to hunt buffalo. In 1878, Garrett shot and killed a fellow hunter who charged at Garrett with a hatchet following a disagreement over buffalo hides. As he lay dying, the hunter brought Garrett to tears upon asking him to forgive him.
Garrett moved to New Mexico and briefly found work as a cowpuncher before quitting to open his own saloon. A tall man, he was referred to by locals as "Juan Largo" or "Long John". In 1879, Garrett married Juanita Gutierrez, who died within a year. In 1880, he married Gutierrez's sister, Apolinaria. The couple had nine children.
Patrick Floyd Garrett was born in Cusseta, Alabama. He grew up on a prosperous Louisiana plantation near Haynesville in northern Claiborne Parish, just below the Arkansas state line. He left home in 1869 and found work as a cowboy in Dallas County, Texas. In 1875, he left to hunt buffalo. In 1878, Garrett shot and killed a fellow hunter who charged at Garrett with a hatchet following a disagreement over buffalo hides. As he lay dying, the hunter brought Garrett to tears upon asking him to forgive him.
Garrett moved to New Mexico and briefly found work as a cowpuncher before quitting to open his own saloon. A tall man, he was referred to by locals as "Juan Largo" or "Long John". In 1879, Garrett married Juanita Gutierrez, who died within a year. In 1880, he married Gutierrez's sister, Apolinaria. The couple had nine children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
April 8, 2018
I was watching Book TV and an historian, Michael Wallis I believe, was talking about this book, and I remembered when I was in the grammar school I used to visit our library and read all the books about outlaws of the old west, but I didn't remember reading this one, so I found it on kindle for 99 cents.
After getting my fill of westerns, even the novels, I moved on to reading true and fictional stories about the mountain people, and during that time I found Gene Stratton-Porter, “Lonesome Pine,” ’Shepherd of the Hills,” “Bald Knobbers,” and “Tobacco Road,” but this last book my mother took away from me, telling me that it was a dirty book. When I was older I read it. If I read westerns now I want them to be better written, like “Wilderness” by Lance Weller, Cormac McCarthy, “The Coal Black Horse,” or “Butcher’s Crossing,” and any that are lyrical or prize winners. So in a way, I have come back to westerns.
After getting my fill of westerns, even the novels, I moved on to reading true and fictional stories about the mountain people, and during that time I found Gene Stratton-Porter, “Lonesome Pine,” ’Shepherd of the Hills,” “Bald Knobbers,” and “Tobacco Road,” but this last book my mother took away from me, telling me that it was a dirty book. When I was older I read it. If I read westerns now I want them to be better written, like “Wilderness” by Lance Weller, Cormac McCarthy, “The Coal Black Horse,” or “Butcher’s Crossing,” and any that are lyrical or prize winners. So in a way, I have come back to westerns.
September 9, 2020
A fair read. More of a stream of facts that a good book.
November 3, 2020
This is so random, but Billy the Kid is one of my favourite historical figures to read about, and although this biography isn’t completely accurate, it’s still interesting to read about the outlaw’s life from the perspective of the man who killed him. It feels surreal.
March 24, 2013
Probably not the most historical account, but it's interesting to see how Pat Garrett blows his own horn.
October 30, 2023
How many times have you read this book? Yes.
That being said, 3.5 stars, rounded to 4 simply because of the subject matter.
Having a moment of nostalgia; I don’t know how many times I read this book as a kid. I’m pretty sure I probably filled out an entire check-out log from the school library for it.
It’s been a hot minute since I last picked it up (probably close to 25 years; I vaguely remember writing a paper in high school) but it’s always been in the back of my mind as something to go back to. Someday.
It is not what I remember. Or maybe time has just changed my perspective. I remember, at last read, being irritated with Pat Garrett’s self-serving epilogue. I still feel like he could have done without his tantrum against the newspapers, but I understand it and can forgive it. What I had issue with this read was just how dry of a read it really is, and I’m having a hard time figuring out just why I loved it so much, way back when. Will I read it again, some day? Probably.
It is a factual, chronological narrative (as Pat knew it), of The Kid’s life and Pat’s pursuit of him. The language and structure are obviously “of the times” and some words/phrases require a little thought to understand. There are “action scenes” - descriptions of shoot outs and pursuits, but in no way does this read like an edge-of-your-seat action/suspense novel. It is history, with mild commentary and not much else beyond the scope of the 5 W’s: who, what, where, when and why.
That being said, 3.5 stars, rounded to 4 simply because of the subject matter.
Having a moment of nostalgia; I don’t know how many times I read this book as a kid. I’m pretty sure I probably filled out an entire check-out log from the school library for it.
It’s been a hot minute since I last picked it up (probably close to 25 years; I vaguely remember writing a paper in high school) but it’s always been in the back of my mind as something to go back to. Someday.
It is not what I remember. Or maybe time has just changed my perspective. I remember, at last read, being irritated with Pat Garrett’s self-serving epilogue. I still feel like he could have done without his tantrum against the newspapers, but I understand it and can forgive it. What I had issue with this read was just how dry of a read it really is, and I’m having a hard time figuring out just why I loved it so much, way back when. Will I read it again, some day? Probably.
It is a factual, chronological narrative (as Pat knew it), of The Kid’s life and Pat’s pursuit of him. The language and structure are obviously “of the times” and some words/phrases require a little thought to understand. There are “action scenes” - descriptions of shoot outs and pursuits, but in no way does this read like an edge-of-your-seat action/suspense novel. It is history, with mild commentary and not much else beyond the scope of the 5 W’s: who, what, where, when and why.
June 6, 2014
Well this book gets two stars in my opinion. I didn't really get any hook from it. Personally when i read, at a particular point in the begin just hooks me in. This was non existent throughout this novel. Now the only reason why this got two stars versus one is because im a really big fan of billy the kid and he is just an interesting person to read about. It is just that the way this book was written and the way his story was told was not as fascinating as i expected it to be. It was slow boring and not to exciting as Billy the kid was. I wouldn't suggest this book to be honest, not one of my favorites.
August 14, 2018
Barely worth 2 stars. This is a turn of the century style of writing book where the author is giving his account with The Kid to counter negative publicity. Very verbose and superfluous. Almost like reading a a book where someone judiciously used a thesaurus with no consideration to a story timeline.
December 5, 2025
Published in 1882, mere months after the death of its subject, The Authentic Life of Billy the Kid by Sheriff Pat Garrett is both a firsthand chronicle of frontier justice and an early attempt at mythmaking in the American West. Part biography, part personal vindication, the book purports to offer a factual, unvarnished account of the infamous outlaw’s life, penned by the man who ultimately killed him. While its authenticity has long been debated by historians, Garrett’s work remains a foundational text in the folklore of the Wild West—equally valuable as historical document and cultural artifact.
The book’s narrative traces the life of William H. Bonney—better known as Billy the Kid—from his early years through his criminal exploits, involvement in the Lincoln County War, and eventual death at Garrett’s hand. It positions Billy alternately as a charming misfit, a skilled gunman, and a cold-blooded killer, reflecting the moral ambiguity that has always shadowed his legend.
Garrett’s stated purpose is to correct the record—to offer an “authentic” portrayal amid rampant sensationalism. But as with many works of this type, the story is shaped by its author’s motives. Garrett was not just a witness to Billy’s life but also a participant in its violent conclusion, and this dual role imbues the book with both authority and bias.
Written shortly after the events it describes, the book also serves as a response to public criticism. Garrett faced significant scrutiny after shooting Billy the Kid and likely saw this publication as a means of defending his actions and framing the narrative on his own terms.
Garrett’s proximity to the events he describes is both the book’s greatest asset and its central liability. On the one hand, he was uniquely positioned to observe the inner workings of the New Mexico Territory’s violent frontier. On the other, his personal animosity toward Billy—compounded by his need for public vindication—introduces clear subjectivity.
While Garrett draws from firsthand knowledge and local accounts, much of the book’s middle section was ghostwritten by journalist Ash Upson, a fact that complicates its authenticity. Upson’s contributions lend a more literary and at times florid quality to the prose, but they also introduce dramatization and moralizing tones that distance the reader from unfiltered truth.
Historians today approach the book with caution, recognizing its value more as early Western narrative than rigorous biography. Key facts are often loosely documented, and the line between history and hearsay blurs frequently.
The writing style ranges from matter-of-fact reportage to embellished, even theatrical, dramatizations. Upson’s influence is felt in the novelistic rendering of scenes—villains are introduced with melodramatic flair, and moral judgments are often explicit. Yet this literary color is part of what gives the book its enduring readability.
Garrett’s voice, when it emerges more plainly, is terse and defensive. He frames his law enforcement actions as regrettable but necessary, crafting a heroic image of the dutiful sheriff confronting lawlessness.
For modern readers, the language is steeped in 19th-century idiom but remains accessible, often vivid, and surprisingly cinematic.
The book’s major strength lies in its place at the intersection of history and myth. It offers a rare glimpse into the mindset of a lawman on the frontier and documents a pivotal era in Western development, just as railroads, legal institutions, and national expansion began to domesticate the “wild” territories.
However, its weaknesses are equally notable. The narrative is heavily biased, often dehumanizing its subject to justify Garrett’s actions. The lack of consistent sourcing and the inclusion of speculative or second-hand accounts undermine its reliability. The tone at times borders on self-congratulatory, detracting from its objectivity.
The Authentic Life of Billy the Kid remains an essential document for scholars and enthusiasts of Western Americana. It has shaped generations of portrayals of Billy the Kid—in dime novels, Hollywood films, and academic histories alike. Though not an impartial account, it provides insight into the period’s values, fears, and moral codes.
Compared to later works like Robert M. Utley’s more thoroughly researched Billy the Kid: A Short and Violent Life, Garrett’s book lacks scholarly rigor but compensates with immediacy and narrative force.
Pat Garrett’s The Authentic Life of Billy the Kid is a flawed but fascinating work—a mixture of biography, propaganda, and early American folklore. It does not stand up to modern standards of historical accuracy, but as a piece of cultural self-fashioning and frontier storytelling, it is invaluable.
Recommended for readers of Western history, folklore enthusiasts, and anyone interested in how legends are born. Best approached as a primary source rather than a definitive biography.
The book’s narrative traces the life of William H. Bonney—better known as Billy the Kid—from his early years through his criminal exploits, involvement in the Lincoln County War, and eventual death at Garrett’s hand. It positions Billy alternately as a charming misfit, a skilled gunman, and a cold-blooded killer, reflecting the moral ambiguity that has always shadowed his legend.
Garrett’s stated purpose is to correct the record—to offer an “authentic” portrayal amid rampant sensationalism. But as with many works of this type, the story is shaped by its author’s motives. Garrett was not just a witness to Billy’s life but also a participant in its violent conclusion, and this dual role imbues the book with both authority and bias.
Written shortly after the events it describes, the book also serves as a response to public criticism. Garrett faced significant scrutiny after shooting Billy the Kid and likely saw this publication as a means of defending his actions and framing the narrative on his own terms.
Garrett’s proximity to the events he describes is both the book’s greatest asset and its central liability. On the one hand, he was uniquely positioned to observe the inner workings of the New Mexico Territory’s violent frontier. On the other, his personal animosity toward Billy—compounded by his need for public vindication—introduces clear subjectivity.
While Garrett draws from firsthand knowledge and local accounts, much of the book’s middle section was ghostwritten by journalist Ash Upson, a fact that complicates its authenticity. Upson’s contributions lend a more literary and at times florid quality to the prose, but they also introduce dramatization and moralizing tones that distance the reader from unfiltered truth.
Historians today approach the book with caution, recognizing its value more as early Western narrative than rigorous biography. Key facts are often loosely documented, and the line between history and hearsay blurs frequently.
The writing style ranges from matter-of-fact reportage to embellished, even theatrical, dramatizations. Upson’s influence is felt in the novelistic rendering of scenes—villains are introduced with melodramatic flair, and moral judgments are often explicit. Yet this literary color is part of what gives the book its enduring readability.
Garrett’s voice, when it emerges more plainly, is terse and defensive. He frames his law enforcement actions as regrettable but necessary, crafting a heroic image of the dutiful sheriff confronting lawlessness.
For modern readers, the language is steeped in 19th-century idiom but remains accessible, often vivid, and surprisingly cinematic.
The book’s major strength lies in its place at the intersection of history and myth. It offers a rare glimpse into the mindset of a lawman on the frontier and documents a pivotal era in Western development, just as railroads, legal institutions, and national expansion began to domesticate the “wild” territories.
However, its weaknesses are equally notable. The narrative is heavily biased, often dehumanizing its subject to justify Garrett’s actions. The lack of consistent sourcing and the inclusion of speculative or second-hand accounts undermine its reliability. The tone at times borders on self-congratulatory, detracting from its objectivity.
The Authentic Life of Billy the Kid remains an essential document for scholars and enthusiasts of Western Americana. It has shaped generations of portrayals of Billy the Kid—in dime novels, Hollywood films, and academic histories alike. Though not an impartial account, it provides insight into the period’s values, fears, and moral codes.
Compared to later works like Robert M. Utley’s more thoroughly researched Billy the Kid: A Short and Violent Life, Garrett’s book lacks scholarly rigor but compensates with immediacy and narrative force.
Pat Garrett’s The Authentic Life of Billy the Kid is a flawed but fascinating work—a mixture of biography, propaganda, and early American folklore. It does not stand up to modern standards of historical accuracy, but as a piece of cultural self-fashioning and frontier storytelling, it is invaluable.
Recommended for readers of Western history, folklore enthusiasts, and anyone interested in how legends are born. Best approached as a primary source rather than a definitive biography.
April 18, 2025
3.5 this one really but rounded it up because I’m a sucker for first hand accounts from history.
This potted history of the life of the legendary ‘Billy the Kid’, as told by the man who eventually shot him down - Deputy US Marshall Pat Garrett, was surprisingly dry but a good read nonetheless.
Garrett published the book not long after the showdown in a bid to clear the record and set history straight; he quite hilariously writes a damning afterword to the book in which he slams the great inaccuracies in the tabloid papers in their retellings.
What Garrett does quite brilliantly is cut through the myths and legends and brings us a fine portrait of William H Bonney not as a bloodthirsty killer but as a wronged child raised in difficult and often brutal circumstances; and thus a product of his wild upbringing.
This potted history of the life of the legendary ‘Billy the Kid’, as told by the man who eventually shot him down - Deputy US Marshall Pat Garrett, was surprisingly dry but a good read nonetheless.
Garrett published the book not long after the showdown in a bid to clear the record and set history straight; he quite hilariously writes a damning afterword to the book in which he slams the great inaccuracies in the tabloid papers in their retellings.
What Garrett does quite brilliantly is cut through the myths and legends and brings us a fine portrait of William H Bonney not as a bloodthirsty killer but as a wronged child raised in difficult and often brutal circumstances; and thus a product of his wild upbringing.
June 6, 2012
Very interesting to get a direct point of view of Billy the Kid. To read what Pat considered the truth about the Kid.
July 13, 2012
Just what I expected from a book written by the man who shoot Billy The Kid. I did enjoy it...wish I was a cowboy!
July 3, 2016
Listened to the audiobook and found it pretty entertaining. The author is the sheriff that (spoiler alert!) shot Billy the Kid. Now I want to watch Young Guns again.
August 4, 2025
Without this book by the sheriff who shot him, Billy the Kid may never have won a lasting place in the Old West's Valhalla. Published just nine months after his death, it was aimed at refuting a flurry of dime novels already sensationalising the charismatic 21-year-old killer. While closer to the facts than any of those, it's still far from fully authentic, and ironically ended up the Kid's most effective legend-maker of all.
Why? Well, firstly there's the glamour of Garrett's byline. The perspective of a leading player in the drama adds interest and authority no matter what is said. Moreover, it's simply a very good read. Well-paced with plenty of incident, it's sprinkled with marvellous laconic western dialogue which, even if invented, captures the flavour of the day. There's also an entertaining Addenda where Garrett unloads on his critics with fury, wit and withering sarcasm.
Remarkably fair-minded, Garrett credits Billy with various admirable qualities and paints him as something of a creature of circumstance, though he never excuses his crimes. Garrett also plainly admits his fear during their final confrontation. On the other hand, there are frequent exaggerations of the Kid's criminal prowess and villainy. Commercial considerations surely played a part here, but it was also likely a response to armchair critics who, safely distant from the firing line, didn't think the Kid's track record (which included several murders) sufficient to justify Garrett's actions. He had already been accused of not giving the Kid a fair chance, which understandably galled him. Given the circumstances, what else could he have done? Frontier justice was rough, but it often had to be. There was no treating the Kid with kid gloves.
The Authentic Life falls into three parts, plus the Addenda. The first two (at least) were ghost-written by Ash Upson, a journalist and good friend of Garrett. Chapters 1-7, describing the Kid's early years, are action-packed but mostly fictional or unverified. Upson cheekily ascribes his own birthday, November 23, to the Kid. Chapters 8-15 cover the Kid's role in the Lincoln County War and subsequent outlawry. This section is roughly accurate but has many simplifications and distortions which often inflate the Kid's importance in the conflict. The last, best and most factually reliable third (chapters 16-23) details Garrett's manhunt in first person, culminating in a fatal chance encounter in a dark bedroom one night in Fort Sumner. The writing here is more terse and matter-of-fact and could well be Garrett's own words, either set down himself or told directly to Upson. Finally, the brief but unmissable Addenda has a floridity which smacks of ghosting and polishing.
Garrett's version of the Kid's death has been hotly disputed, but credible contrary evidence is sorely lacking and his description of an accidental and almost anticlimactic showdown rings true. It has all the unpredictable quirkiness of real life. That said, it was also undoubtedly a tense and terrifying moment of great danger. A conspiracy theory contends the Kid was unarmed, but it's hard to credit New Mexico's most wanted being so careless, and Pete Maxwell - the shooting's only eyewitness - told the inquest the Kid held a revolver.
The Sphere paperback copy I read dates to 1973, the same year as the Sam Peckinpah film 'Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid' with Kris Kristofferson as the Kid. While not a tie-in edition, it has a somewhat KK-esque Kid on the cover, and the title font matches the lettering on movie posters. The introduction by Kid scholar Frederick Christian (aka Frederick Nolan) provides valuable insight and context.
Peckinpah's film would have been greatly improved by drawing more from 'Authentic Life', which tells a far better story (or better still, by drawing from the Kid's historically verified life and times). However, the film's character 'Alias', played by Bob Dylan, was inspired by Garrett's book. Allegedly an accomplice of the Kid known only by that nickname, his brief appearance in a less authentic part of 'Authentic Life' is the only evidence he ever existed. But I like to think he did...
Why? Well, firstly there's the glamour of Garrett's byline. The perspective of a leading player in the drama adds interest and authority no matter what is said. Moreover, it's simply a very good read. Well-paced with plenty of incident, it's sprinkled with marvellous laconic western dialogue which, even if invented, captures the flavour of the day. There's also an entertaining Addenda where Garrett unloads on his critics with fury, wit and withering sarcasm.
Remarkably fair-minded, Garrett credits Billy with various admirable qualities and paints him as something of a creature of circumstance, though he never excuses his crimes. Garrett also plainly admits his fear during their final confrontation. On the other hand, there are frequent exaggerations of the Kid's criminal prowess and villainy. Commercial considerations surely played a part here, but it was also likely a response to armchair critics who, safely distant from the firing line, didn't think the Kid's track record (which included several murders) sufficient to justify Garrett's actions. He had already been accused of not giving the Kid a fair chance, which understandably galled him. Given the circumstances, what else could he have done? Frontier justice was rough, but it often had to be. There was no treating the Kid with kid gloves.
The Authentic Life falls into three parts, plus the Addenda. The first two (at least) were ghost-written by Ash Upson, a journalist and good friend of Garrett. Chapters 1-7, describing the Kid's early years, are action-packed but mostly fictional or unverified. Upson cheekily ascribes his own birthday, November 23, to the Kid. Chapters 8-15 cover the Kid's role in the Lincoln County War and subsequent outlawry. This section is roughly accurate but has many simplifications and distortions which often inflate the Kid's importance in the conflict. The last, best and most factually reliable third (chapters 16-23) details Garrett's manhunt in first person, culminating in a fatal chance encounter in a dark bedroom one night in Fort Sumner. The writing here is more terse and matter-of-fact and could well be Garrett's own words, either set down himself or told directly to Upson. Finally, the brief but unmissable Addenda has a floridity which smacks of ghosting and polishing.
Garrett's version of the Kid's death has been hotly disputed, but credible contrary evidence is sorely lacking and his description of an accidental and almost anticlimactic showdown rings true. It has all the unpredictable quirkiness of real life. That said, it was also undoubtedly a tense and terrifying moment of great danger. A conspiracy theory contends the Kid was unarmed, but it's hard to credit New Mexico's most wanted being so careless, and Pete Maxwell - the shooting's only eyewitness - told the inquest the Kid held a revolver.
The Sphere paperback copy I read dates to 1973, the same year as the Sam Peckinpah film 'Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid' with Kris Kristofferson as the Kid. While not a tie-in edition, it has a somewhat KK-esque Kid on the cover, and the title font matches the lettering on movie posters. The introduction by Kid scholar Frederick Christian (aka Frederick Nolan) provides valuable insight and context.
Peckinpah's film would have been greatly improved by drawing more from 'Authentic Life', which tells a far better story (or better still, by drawing from the Kid's historically verified life and times). However, the film's character 'Alias', played by Bob Dylan, was inspired by Garrett's book. Allegedly an accomplice of the Kid known only by that nickname, his brief appearance in a less authentic part of 'Authentic Life' is the only evidence he ever existed. But I like to think he did...
February 15, 2018
Interesting to read the so called authentic life of William Bonney in the book written by the man that ended his life, Pat Garrett.
My only knowledge of Billy the Kid was seeing Peckinpah's movie 'Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid' many decades back, and I preferred the sound track. From memory, the film was very loosely based on fact and reading Garrett's 1882 publication, my memory is correct. I always thought that Bob Dylan's character in the film, Alias, was one that was invented just to provide a part for Zimmy. So I was surprised to discover that Bonney did have an early cohort by that name. The narrative is somewhat dated, yet my appreciation of this historical story was enhanced with the aid of Google Earth, that helped me to locate some of the places where the actions took place, i.e., Fort Sumner, New Mexico. A wild untamed looking area even today!
There’s eyes behind the mirrors in empty places
Bullet holes and scars between the spaces
There’s always one more notch and ten more paces
Billy, and you’re walkin’ all alone
They say that Pat Garrett’s got your number
So sleep with one eye open when you slumber
Every little sound just might be thunder
Thunder from the barrel of his gun
Guitars will play your grand finale
Down in some Tularosa alley
Maybe in the Rio Pecos valley
Billy, you’re so far away from home.
My only knowledge of Billy the Kid was seeing Peckinpah's movie 'Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid' many decades back, and I preferred the sound track. From memory, the film was very loosely based on fact and reading Garrett's 1882 publication, my memory is correct. I always thought that Bob Dylan's character in the film, Alias, was one that was invented just to provide a part for Zimmy. So I was surprised to discover that Bonney did have an early cohort by that name. The narrative is somewhat dated, yet my appreciation of this historical story was enhanced with the aid of Google Earth, that helped me to locate some of the places where the actions took place, i.e., Fort Sumner, New Mexico. A wild untamed looking area even today!
There’s eyes behind the mirrors in empty places
Bullet holes and scars between the spaces
There’s always one more notch and ten more paces
Billy, and you’re walkin’ all alone
They say that Pat Garrett’s got your number
So sleep with one eye open when you slumber
Every little sound just might be thunder
Thunder from the barrel of his gun
Guitars will play your grand finale
Down in some Tularosa alley
Maybe in the Rio Pecos valley
Billy, you’re so far away from home.
May 1, 2019
The edition I read was first published in 1954. My book was from the fourth printing in 1959. The only difference that I'm aware of between my copy and those published in earlier years was the introduction by J.C. Dykes. Dykes' introduction included historical context and a discussion of how much of Garrett's story could be verified.
Pat Garrett wrote this story of Billy the Kid from what he had heard about William H. Bonney's life before he became the outlaw Billy the Kid and through to the time of his death, when the author shot him, at the age of 21. The stories describe 'the Kid' with the same carefree, fearless attitude towards his life of danger that has been depicted in movies and described in other books. However, Garrett goes further to describe the life of crime the Kid lived, I think probably because he was becoming some kind of folk hero and that made Garrett the villain. That is my interpretation of the addendum, anyway.
I enjoyed the book. I don't know how much was really true and how much was legend, even in this book written by the man who eventually killed Bill the Kid, but it was a story true to every other story I've read about the wild west.
Pat Garrett wrote this story of Billy the Kid from what he had heard about William H. Bonney's life before he became the outlaw Billy the Kid and through to the time of his death, when the author shot him, at the age of 21. The stories describe 'the Kid' with the same carefree, fearless attitude towards his life of danger that has been depicted in movies and described in other books. However, Garrett goes further to describe the life of crime the Kid lived, I think probably because he was becoming some kind of folk hero and that made Garrett the villain. That is my interpretation of the addendum, anyway.
I enjoyed the book. I don't know how much was really true and how much was legend, even in this book written by the man who eventually killed Bill the Kid, but it was a story true to every other story I've read about the wild west.
June 22, 2022
I truly enjoy a good account of something as intriguing as the Life of Billy the Kid. The author none other than the lawman Pat Garret who tracked down and killed the kid.
Why the 2 stars then? Pat Garret had Frederick Nolan help him with his account. Problem is, Pat Garrett seemed to think we were more interested in him than Billy. The book ( truly poorly written), doesn't even have a feel of the time period. It was written in 1890??
Pat Garret seems to imply he knew Billy so well but so many inconsistencies in his narrative that I am obliged to believe he snuck up on the Kid and killed him. By his own account Billy was shoeless and they drew on each other but he got 2 shots off and Billy missed his? Billy the Kid who would shoot small birds out of the air? ( This factual account was even stated in the book.) The last 5 pages were Pat Garret defending himself against detractors??? Pat Garret nobody cares that much about you and your accounts. I honestly believe he snuck up on the Kid who was on the run and shot him dead. Outlaws were a part of Western Life and Billy the Kid was most interesting, but this account left a bad taste in my mouth.....😕
Why the 2 stars then? Pat Garret had Frederick Nolan help him with his account. Problem is, Pat Garrett seemed to think we were more interested in him than Billy. The book ( truly poorly written), doesn't even have a feel of the time period. It was written in 1890??
Pat Garret seems to imply he knew Billy so well but so many inconsistencies in his narrative that I am obliged to believe he snuck up on the Kid and killed him. By his own account Billy was shoeless and they drew on each other but he got 2 shots off and Billy missed his? Billy the Kid who would shoot small birds out of the air? ( This factual account was even stated in the book.) The last 5 pages were Pat Garret defending himself against detractors??? Pat Garret nobody cares that much about you and your accounts. I honestly believe he snuck up on the Kid who was on the run and shot him dead. Outlaws were a part of Western Life and Billy the Kid was most interesting, but this account left a bad taste in my mouth.....😕
June 8, 2018
This was a pretty good book. I've poked around on the internet and read that the first 3/4 of the book is fairly accurate, but many of the details are exaggerated to make it "more interesting." That was pretty common at the time. Garett used a "ghostwriter," Marshall Ashmun "Ash" Upson.
This fellow's chapters, which make up most of the book, are full of turn-of-the-century flourishes and elaborations. Listening or reading it feels like reading a novel or newspaper from the time. That's fine but I preferred Garett's first-person account of shooting the kid. This is the last handful chapters of the book.
I am no scholar on The Kid and won't be fact-checking the book. I accept that several of the facts are made up, exaggerated, and lost to time. This book is worth a weekend read from your local library, or if you're interested a listen from Overdrive. I don't recommend buying it unless you're into western history or Billy The Kid.
This fellow's chapters, which make up most of the book, are full of turn-of-the-century flourishes and elaborations. Listening or reading it feels like reading a novel or newspaper from the time. That's fine but I preferred Garett's first-person account of shooting the kid. This is the last handful chapters of the book.
I am no scholar on The Kid and won't be fact-checking the book. I accept that several of the facts are made up, exaggerated, and lost to time. This book is worth a weekend read from your local library, or if you're interested a listen from Overdrive. I don't recommend buying it unless you're into western history or Billy The Kid.
July 3, 2019
Very interesting. Written in 1882, the year after Billy the Kid's death, the writing style is so very different from today's style of writing. Billy, aka William H. Bonney, was born as Henry McCarty in New York. His parents migrated west and after his father died, his mother remarried a man who did not care for her children. "Billy" took off after his mother died rather than stay with his stepfather.
The story is written/told by Pat Garrett, the New Mexico sheriff that killed The Kid. He knew Billy/Henry from a young age while living at Mrs. McCarty's boarding house, and he shares a very personal, very vulnerable side of Billy that the public generally did not see or wish to acknowledge due to his reputation as a rutless killer.
Billy lived a colorful, if somewhat lawless, life in the American southwest and Mexico, but life in those early territorial days was wild and unpredictable and survival was a day by day prospect.
The story is written/told by Pat Garrett, the New Mexico sheriff that killed The Kid. He knew Billy/Henry from a young age while living at Mrs. McCarty's boarding house, and he shares a very personal, very vulnerable side of Billy that the public generally did not see or wish to acknowledge due to his reputation as a rutless killer.
Billy lived a colorful, if somewhat lawless, life in the American southwest and Mexico, but life in those early territorial days was wild and unpredictable and survival was a day by day prospect.
December 21, 2023
If anybody else knows of a biography written by the person who killed its subject, please feel free to recommend it. That circumstance is fascinating enough to have interested me in reading this and I was not disappointed. I realize the majority may be pure fable (in the early chapters a lot of stuff reeks of dime-novel fantasy), but it’s a riveting read nonetheless. Outside of questions of historical accuracy, I just appreciate the 19th-Century frankness of the writing: the conservation of words, the lack of conjecture and, above all, the fact that the book starts with Billy the Kid’s birth and carries on in fully chronological order until it reaches the natural conclusion of his death. So many biographies these days try to add some creativity in the form of jumbling the events. Not for me; I’ll take a linear narrative any time. Finally, I really enjoyed Garrett’s addendum including his fiery defense of his right to have written the thing in the first place. Who better, after all?
December 31, 2020
I love these stories about real life characters from the past. I definitely have a romanticized view of these stories. I am not naive enough to think about the awful people these guys were. I know that this was a life filled with murder and crime, which I do not condone, I am just very entertained by it. I think part of me takes these stories as fiction, and makes it easier to accept. I just have a soft spot for the gunslingers of the old west, pirates of the old seas, and vikings of the older seas.
This particular book is a mix of fact and fiction, mostly due to unreliable eyewitness accounts and lack of official records. Stories were recorded from verbal sources that have a little bit of "my friends best friends rancher told me..." If ever a time that the victors tell the story this is it.
Great book though. Reminds me of the Young Guns movies at times. Fun, quick listen. Interesting times.
This particular book is a mix of fact and fiction, mostly due to unreliable eyewitness accounts and lack of official records. Stories were recorded from verbal sources that have a little bit of "my friends best friends rancher told me..." If ever a time that the victors tell the story this is it.
Great book though. Reminds me of the Young Guns movies at times. Fun, quick listen. Interesting times.
Read
February 14, 2020Pretty dry and boring overall, with much recounting of names, places and dates without much in the way of real narrative flair. Almost entirely redeemed by the final chapter, which is a long steaming rant by Garrett in which he rages at the haters and pretends not to know the names of the various newspapers that have criticised him. Made even more unhinged by the revelation early in the chapter that his friends had already (rightly) tried (to no avail) to dissuade him from indulging in this kind of fevered score settling. Adopting a journalistic detachment throughout up to that point, his descent into being beet-red and mad by the end is one of the funniest conclusions of any factual book I've ever read
December 22, 2021
The only thing good I can say about this book is that I am glad it flopped when it came out in 1882. You can tell from all the I accurate information this was a book Pat Garrett published more as propaganda to help with his public image. If he would of stuck to facts, I would of at least respected him more then I do now. Not only did he murder this kid, he wrote a book about him trying to slander who he was. If you can get a free copy of this I would recommend reading it... But save your money, it's not worth the 10 bucks.
December 14, 2022
Clear, good history
By chance, I watched the movie "Old Henry". It peaked my interest in Billy the Kid. This account has to be the most accurate and I enjoyed it. My friend in Tucson is a descendant of Pat Garrett and that added enjoyment to the reading for me. The style and language can be a little different but not in a bad way. I liked getting a perspective on the Kid's personality and motivations, along with his talent. It was an insightful look at the authentic old west. A short and fast read and I found it to be time well spent.
By chance, I watched the movie "Old Henry". It peaked my interest in Billy the Kid. This account has to be the most accurate and I enjoyed it. My friend in Tucson is a descendant of Pat Garrett and that added enjoyment to the reading for me. The style and language can be a little different but not in a bad way. I liked getting a perspective on the Kid's personality and motivations, along with his talent. It was an insightful look at the authentic old west. A short and fast read and I found it to be time well spent.
August 31, 2017
This is a great historical document. It is interesting that Pat Garrett, the man who killed William H. Bonney (Billy the Kid) knew the man so well that you could call them friends. He is the perfect individual to write the story of Billy's life. This book gives insight into both the faults and strengths of his character. This is an excellent read because of the wealth of information. I recommend it to everyone interested into a historical view of who and what Billy the Kid was.
May 6, 2018
clears up a lot of misconceptions
It comes across as a true record of both Garrett's and the Kid's activities from 1860-1881. While being engaging and descriptive occasionally it diverts off the subject. The reader feels immersed in the trail dust, wind and hears the horse hooves struggle over the mountain passes. Recommended for those earnestly interested in William Bonney alias Billy the Kid.
It comes across as a true record of both Garrett's and the Kid's activities from 1860-1881. While being engaging and descriptive occasionally it diverts off the subject. The reader feels immersed in the trail dust, wind and hears the horse hooves struggle over the mountain passes. Recommended for those earnestly interested in William Bonney alias Billy the Kid.
September 30, 2020
After reading Guilty by Jason Pinter), the Billy the Kid story was not one I knew. This is a good book to get the details both from the original and some of the extra supplements on the process. It is a good story. I like the encounters with people who desired to be thought of as "bad" and were not up to the reputation. A lawless society is one that cannot be tolerated and should not be viewed as a great one. Law has come to the west and we are all better for it.
September 10, 2025
Really enjoyed this book, it’s a fascinating perspective from someone who had dealings with Billy the Kid. Whether it’s historically accurate or not, I guess we’ll never know, however as a fan of Billy the Kid I would certainly recommend this to anyone of interest.
It does a good job of not glorifying the actions taken by Billy, whilst also offering an insight to the man behind the legend and not completely burying him under the evil persona so often attributed to him.
It does a good job of not glorifying the actions taken by Billy, whilst also offering an insight to the man behind the legend and not completely burying him under the evil persona so often attributed to him.
June 5, 2017
Read this in French, newly translated and published here in a beautiful edition with old photographs and a comprehensive foreword...I was expecting perhaps better but it's historical content is interesting as is...I see there are more eloquent biographies of his life yet Garrett claims his is the only correct version...at the time. Still, a curious read...
April 3, 2018
Great writing for an gunman in late 1800’s! The sentences get a little tangled to our modern ear, which is to be expected.Garret brings Billy to life.
Billy is brought to life, his personality is discovered by the detailed descriptions of his manner, dress, habits, relationships, his many friends and supporters.
Billy is brought to life, his personality is discovered by the detailed descriptions of his manner, dress, habits, relationships, his many friends and supporters.
December 12, 2018
As most scholars and Billy the Kid aficionados declare, the first part of this book is likely exaggerated mythos, while the last portion, where the narrative changes to first person is likely closer to the truth. From the history and academic texts I've read about Billy the Kid and the Lincoln County Wars, this seems to be the case. Still, it was well worth reading, and I enjoyed the book.
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