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Bandido: The Life and Times of Tiburcio Vasquez
Tiburcio Vasquez is, next to Joaquin Murrieta, America's most infamous Hispanic bandit. After he was hanged as a murderer in 1875, the Chicago Tribune called him "the most noted desperado of modern times." Yet questions about him still linger. Why did he become a bandido? Why did so many Hispanics protect him and his band? Was he a common thief and heartless killer who got what he deserved, or was he a Mexican American Robin Hood who suffered at the hands of a racist government? In this engrossing biography, John Boessenecker provides definitive answers.
Bandido pulls back the curtain on a life story shrouded in myth — a myth created by Vasquez himself and abetted by writers who saw a tale ripe for embellishment. Boessenecker traces his subject's life from his childhood in the seaside adobe village of Monterey, to his years as a young outlaw engaged in horse rustling and robbery. Two terms in San Quentin failed to tame Vasquez, and he instigated four bloody prison breaks that left twenty convicts dead. After his final release from prison, he led bandit raids throughout Central and Southern California. His dalliances with women were legion, and the last one led to his capture in the Hollywood Hills and his death on the gallows at the age of thirty-nine.
From dusty court records, forgotten memoirs, and moldering newspaper archives, Boessenecker draws a story of violence, banditry, and retribution on the early California frontier that is as accurate as it is colorful. Enhanced by numerous photographs — many published here for the first time — Bandido also addresses important issues of racism and social justice that remain relevant to this day.
Bandido pulls back the curtain on a life story shrouded in myth — a myth created by Vasquez himself and abetted by writers who saw a tale ripe for embellishment. Boessenecker traces his subject's life from his childhood in the seaside adobe village of Monterey, to his years as a young outlaw engaged in horse rustling and robbery. Two terms in San Quentin failed to tame Vasquez, and he instigated four bloody prison breaks that left twenty convicts dead. After his final release from prison, he led bandit raids throughout Central and Southern California. His dalliances with women were legion, and the last one led to his capture in the Hollywood Hills and his death on the gallows at the age of thirty-nine.
From dusty court records, forgotten memoirs, and moldering newspaper archives, Boessenecker draws a story of violence, banditry, and retribution on the early California frontier that is as accurate as it is colorful. Enhanced by numerous photographs — many published here for the first time — Bandido also addresses important issues of racism and social justice that remain relevant to this day.
496 pages, Hardcover
First published September 24, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 19, 2015
As a native Californian who enjoy reading historical non-fiction, I read a lot of California history. And the general storyline has always been in my head, the Spanish-Mexicans colonized California, created a very sophisticated, gentile, almost-Southern-plantation-style culture with enormous land grants and huge heads of cattle and wide-open hospitality with music and dancing and abuse of the local Indians. And then the gold-rush happened and the mongol hordes of Americans rushed over the mountains and overwhelmed them and the original Californios were gone. That there was a huge disconnect where we were talking about Father Junípero Serra and General Berryessa and suddenly we're talking about John Sutter and Mark Twain and the Mormons.
Yeah, I knew vaguely that there was this 19th century Californio bandit that a number of schools and parks, etc have been named after, that had been made a hero by some Latinos. But I didn't understand the whole arc where these 100-200 very poor Mexican families were convinced to take this enormous risk of a long dangerous overland journey because Spain needed California settled so they could claim it, in return for everything they didn't have in Mexico -- land, cattle, and horses. So, these families went from having nothing to being wealthy to having everything taken away from them by the Americans coming in for the gold rush. Poverty to riches to poverty within the space of 3 to 4 generations. They got to watch their culture disintegrate. California in the gold rush was like Mad Max, there was no justice, no laws, the worst dregs of racist pre-Civil War society washed up on the shore, heavily armed.
And while I agree with the author that Tiburcio Vasquez was not a social-reformer or a Robin Hood, this book gave me a perspective I had not had presented to me before about what happened to these original inhabitants of California and the choices they had to make, how they really didn't just disappear overnight, the way most California history is written.
Yeah, I knew vaguely that there was this 19th century Californio bandit that a number of schools and parks, etc have been named after, that had been made a hero by some Latinos. But I didn't understand the whole arc where these 100-200 very poor Mexican families were convinced to take this enormous risk of a long dangerous overland journey because Spain needed California settled so they could claim it, in return for everything they didn't have in Mexico -- land, cattle, and horses. So, these families went from having nothing to being wealthy to having everything taken away from them by the Americans coming in for the gold rush. Poverty to riches to poverty within the space of 3 to 4 generations. They got to watch their culture disintegrate. California in the gold rush was like Mad Max, there was no justice, no laws, the worst dregs of racist pre-Civil War society washed up on the shore, heavily armed.
And while I agree with the author that Tiburcio Vasquez was not a social-reformer or a Robin Hood, this book gave me a perspective I had not had presented to me before about what happened to these original inhabitants of California and the choices they had to make, how they really didn't just disappear overnight, the way most California history is written.
September 9, 2016
One of the great outlaw stories of all time, and an essential piece of California history. Unlike Joaquin Murietta, California's other legendary bandido, Tiburcio Vasquez was undeniably a real person, and Boessenecker does a terrific job of sorting out the myths from the historical facts, tracing the outlaw's life and exploits from childhood in pre-Gold Rush Monterey to his hanging in San Jose in 1874.
July 14, 2017
If you live in California, you must read this. If you don't, and you have ever spent time in California, you should read this. If you have never been to California and you like outlaws (and perhaps are intrigued by California) you probably should read this. If you have never been to California and you think we are a bunch of wackos... you really must read this to see that our history is complex and amazing. If you are none of the above - I can't help you.
Great insight into Tiburcio Vasquez. I grew up just south of Vasquez Rocks and the history has always intrigued me. Now I live in Nor. Cal and his history is even more rich up here. Very complex character who was very human and very "of his time".
Great insight into Tiburcio Vasquez. I grew up just south of Vasquez Rocks and the history has always intrigued me. Now I live in Nor. Cal and his history is even more rich up here. Very complex character who was very human and very "of his time".
April 16, 2021
Spoiler: Sheriff Seth Bullock of Deadwood was among the attendees in San Jose for Tiburicio Vasquez’ public hanging. This biography reads like a Deadwood of Monterey, California. A fascinating account of the bandits life and exploits, it seeks to answer whether Vasquez was a Robin Hood like hero or merely an extraordinary thief and criminal. Throughout the reader gets granular level insights into California’s transformation from a land occupied by primarily by Californios and Indians to that of Mexicans and Anglos. All but the Indians play a prominent role here and how they intersect is a common thread. Bonus points for the biography of San Quentin’s birth, which Vasquez’ labor helped build. Highly recommended.
April 19, 2020
I really enjoyed learning about the life Tiburcio Vasquez. The book is tremendously well researched and follows one of the most notorious bandits of the Old West.
If you’re interested in learning about California history after the gold rush, check this book out! I like most people had never heard of Vasquez but he rivals any of his Anglo counterparts like Butch Cassidy and Billy the Kid.
If you’re interested in learning about California history after the gold rush, check this book out! I like most people had never heard of Vasquez but he rivals any of his Anglo counterparts like Butch Cassidy and Billy the Kid.
July 11, 2012
I took a personal in this book since I'm related to quite a few of the people mentioned and/or talked about in great detail including Tiburcio himself and a few of his compadres. I had to give it 6 stars. I learned quite a bit and it allowed me to fit a few more pieces of the family tree puzzle together. Well researched by the author.
January 24, 2011
It was fun to read some local history...
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews