Home › Hardcover Books › Bring Me the Head of Joaquin Murrieta: The Bandit Chief Who Terrorized California and Launched the Legend of Zorro

Bring Me the Head of Joaquin Murrieta: The Bandit Chief Who Terrorized California and Launched the Legend of Zorro

by John Boessenecker

Joaquin Murrieta between history and legend

Regular price $25.14 USD
Regular price $41.91 USD Sale price $25.14 USD
Save 40%

Hardcover New English

Delivery to your door
In stock·Dispatches in 1–2 business days
Standard shipping* from $4.35
Standard shipping transit* 5–8 business days after dispatch

Faster options are available.

Rates and delivery estimates depend on your destination and item quantity. Estimates are informational only; the final shipping method and rate are selected at checkout.

Secure checkout
American Express Apple Pay DiscoverGoogle Pay Mastercard PayPalVisa
30-day eligible returns Returns & refunds policy

AlbakiReads Editorial

Joaquin Murrieta between history and legend

John Boessenecker places Joaquin Murrieta’s outlaw career in the violence and upheaval of Gold Rush-era California. The book examines how the image of Murrieta as a rebel and folk hero sits alongside accounts of the violent trail left by him and his band. Its central subject is both a figure of the American West and the layers of legend that have shaped his reputation, with the wider California setting providing historical context for the story.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Readers interested in the history of the American West and Gold Rush-era California.
  • Those curious about the history behind outlaw legends and the figure associated with Zorro’s origins.
  • Readers seeking a researched account of Joaquin Murrieta and his band.

Themes

Gold Rush CaliforniaOutlaw historyLegend and historical memoryViolence and injustice

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

"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 Murrietadetails 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 Murrietachronicles 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
Shipping & returnsShipping options, delivery timing, and our return policy.

In-stock items normally dispatch within 1–2 business days. The ZIP-code estimator on this page is informational only; the final shipping method, price, and availability are confirmed at checkout for your full order.

For the initial delivery estimate we use these transit windows after dispatch: Standard 5–8 business days, Expedited 2–4 business days, and Priority 1–2 business days. Holiday delays are not included.

Eligible items can be returned within 30 days in accordance with our return policy.

Customer reviews