68
The Mexican Autumn of the Tlatelolco Massacre
$38.23
- Paperback
136 pages
- Release Date
29 October 2019
Summary
A firsthand account of the shocking Tlatelolco Massacre, still denied by the Mexican government.Introduction by Catherine PeloneroAs described by its author, They Hanged My Saintly Billy is “a novel filled with sex, drink, dope, horse racing, incest, suicides, murders, scandalous legal proceedings, cross examinations, inquests and a good public hanging.“A real historical figure, the British surgeon Dr. William Palmer was accused in 1856 of murdering fourteen people by means of poison. The Dr. Kevorkian trial of the 19th century, with a bit of O.J. Simpson mixed in for good measure, the scandal entranced nearly the entire population of the British Isles. Everyone had an opinion on the case-including esteemed poet and historical fabulist Robert Graves. They Hanged My Saintly Billy is true crime as only a true literary master could write it, with exquisitely rendered portraits of Palmer’s era and milieu, told from the shifting perspectives of all who came into contact with the notorious doctor. Just as his renowned I, Claudius opened a window onto a case of history once thought to be closed, Graves’s account of Palmer’s life recasts the surgeon as a victim of yellow journalism and overzealous judges. But ultimately it’s left up to the reader to decide whether or not Palmer’s mother is in the right, or merely duped along with the rest of Palmer’s supporters, when she laments: “Yes, they hanged my saintly Billy! He was a bit of a scamp right enough, but a good son to me; the best of the brood … and no murderer.”
Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781609808495 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10: | 1609808495 |
| Author: | Paco Ignacio Taibo, Donald Nicholson-Smith |
| Publisher: | Seven Stories Press,U.S. |
| Imprint: | Seven Stories Press,U.S. |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Number of Pages: | 136 |
| Release Date: | 29 October 2019 |
| Weight: | 367g |
| Dimensions: | 140mm x 210mm |
Critics Review
“Beautifully realized memoir of the Oct. 1968 Tlatelolco student massacre … [Taibo] evokes relationships, passions and arguments lovingly… [His] memoir goes a long way toward setting the record straight.” —Publishers Weekly
“The real enchantment of Mr. Taibo’s storytelling art lies in the ‘wild and melancholy’ tango of life he sees everywhere.” –Marilyn Stasio, New York Times Book Review
Paco Ignacio Taibo
Paco Ignacio Taibo II,best known for his detective Hector Belascoaran Shayne book series, is one of the foremost crime fiction writers in the Spanish-speaking world today. In 2019 he wasnamed head of Mexico’s Fondo de Cultura Econ mica, effectively a minister of literary culture.He is also the director of the acclaimed Semana Negra de Gij n, a literary festival in Spain. He is a tireless social activist, historian, and author of the best-selling biography of Ernesto “Che” Guevara,Guevara Also Known as Che. He has written more than forty books altogether, which have been published in twenty-eight countries. Some of his novels have been considered “Best Books of the Year” bytheNew York Times,Le Monde,andtheLos Angeles Times. He has received several literary prizes, including the Premio Hammett for best crime fiction in Spain (three times), the 813 literary award for best foreign crime novel published in France, and the Premio Bancarella for the best book of the year in Italy.Donald Nicholson-Smith has translated numerous works from the French and Spanish including Guy Debord’s The Society of the Spectacle and Raoul Vaneigem’s The Revolution of Everyday Life.
Returns
This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.