Tom Mix and Pancho Villa [Import] [Paperback]

Clifford Irving (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 512 pages
• Publisher: Futura Publications (June 13, 1985)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0708827462
• ISBN-13: 978-0708827468
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.3 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,176,566 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Clifford Irving is the author of twenty published books, half a dozen of them New York Times best-sellers, including "Fake!", "Trial", "Final Argument", and "Tom Mix and Pancho Villa", and several screenplays. His most famous book was the hoax "Autobiography of Howard Hughes" which brought the billionaire out of seclusion and landed the author in three U.S. prisons. He traveled three times around the world before most people living in it today were born, and was recently the subject of The Clifford Irving Show at the Cine 13 theater in Paris. Yet he may be one of the last professional people on this planet who has no cell phone.

The New York Times Book Review said: "Clifford Irving is a born storyteller." The L.A. Times called him "a master." In 1986 William Safire named "Trial" "the novel of the year." "Fake!" is the super-sophisticated tale of the most successful art forger of the 20th century, a gay Hungarian whose Picassos and Matisses hang in art collections worldwide. Many people believe the Hughes autobiography caused the Watergate break-in and the downfall of Richard Nixon.

In mid-December 2011, Clifford's oldest son, Josh, a computer geek, will create a unique publishing event. Twelve of Clifford's books, published and unpublished, will be made available simultaneously on Kindle. And soon you'll find the author on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. (Josh twisted his arm.)

He was born in Manhattan, went to the High School of Music & Art and Cornell University, lived for nearly two decades on the Spanish Mediterranean island of Ibiza, has been married more times than he cares to think about, has three grown sons, has lectured worldwide on subjects as diverse as the art market and the justice system, counts among his finest achievements earning a draw against the chess champion of Spain and 25 years ago driving in the winning run in the annual Artists v Writers Softball Game in East Hampton, NY.

He now lives with his Aussie wife in the Colorado Rockies, on the edge of a forest where he cuts firewood, paints, tends his flower garden, is regularly stumped by hard sudoku puzzles, and is writing a memoir called "Around the World in 80 Years."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An American Classic, November 4, 2000

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Tom Mix and Pancho Villa (Hardcover)

This is probably the finest relatively-unknown novel ever published in the USA. The reviews back in 1982 were stunning. (William Safire in the New York Times wrote: "Rip-snortin', rootin'-tootin' adventure"; the L.A.Herald-Examiner said, "A big, rawboned, wild-blooded adventure, a novel to make any writer proud and many readers grateful." (I copy these from the paperback book jacket.)

Young Tom Mix runs off to Mexico to join the revolution and becomes Pancho Villa's "gringo" aide. This is historical fact, although Irving -- for our benefit -- embroiders this for some 500 fabulous pages. Tom meets all kinds of people who were there, including George S. Patton, Emiliano Zapata, and Franz von Papen. It's a swashbuckling story, and who among us not wished he'd grown up as romantically as Mix does here?

The book gives the sights and sounds of a turn-of-the-century world real enough to touch. I note that another reviewer in the L.A. Times called it "a fantasy worthy of Mark Twain, a legendary tale." And the Houston Chronicle called it "a wonderful, big book." I agree. If you own a copy, you can sell it for ten times what you paid for it. If you can't find one to buy, try your library. It's GREAT.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Undiscovered gem - A classic epic western of Mexican Revolution, September 19, 2008

By 

Mark New Jersey "Mark NJ" (New Jersey United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tom Mix and Pancho Villa (Paperback)

Incredible novel of the dying west, and the Mexican Revolution. Even more entertaining than Norman Zollinger 1995 novel - Not of War Only, which is in itself an excellent book. If possible Tom Mix & Pancho Villa is better!

The book is a grand adventure, an epic coming of age story of pre-movie star Tom Mix. It vividly captures the excitement, romance, and bloodshed of the revolution.

The portrait of Pancho Villa, brings him colorfully to life as a multi-dimensional person - as peasant, bandit, inveterate lover and serial groom, and as a leader struggling with his conscience. It is his flawed portait as a hero - a fighter and killer in search of freedom and fortune that grounds the book and brings all its characters to life.

Similiar to Oliver Stone's main character in Platoon, Mix has his good companero (Candelario Cervantes) and his evil foe clouded in darkeness -
Rudolfo Fierro to bring his story to life.


Probably the greatest western written, few people have ever read, or heard of. After Lonesome Dove, one of the best 5 or 10 best epic western novels you will read on the old west.

The action is swift, the plot wildly accurate as real events weave their way into the novel. Even a young George Patton comes to life in the second half of the book.

Mostly though - you have Mix as every man fighting, loving, struggling for survival, for enlightenment - doing his best to keep the chief (Pancho) on the straight and narrow path of a hero.

The journey is paved with obstacles, and the man's struggle between good and evil.

It just never lets up, and it will stay with you for a long time.

5.0 out of 5 stars great condition for a old item, January 30, 2012

By 

jaylor - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Tom Mix and Pancho Villa (Hardcover)

I bought this book for my husband for his birthday.(Which is ground hog day). So he hasn't yet recieved it. But he has talked about reading this book years ago and loved it then. I just hope he likes it as much now. Otherwise this will be a yucky present. Here is hoping!