Memorias de Pancho Villa, I. El Hombre y sus Armas.

by Martn Luis Guzmn Review by: Rufus Kay Wyllys The Hispanic American Historical Review, Vol. 20, No. 2 (May, 1940), pp. 244-245 Published by: Duke University Press Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2506961 . Accessed: 12/01/2013 03:03
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244

THE

HISPANIC

AMERICAN

HISTORICAL

REVIEW

Shaler, special agent of the United States to Mexico, dated August 18, 1812. AMore ilnterpretative thani factual, this volume offers a poilnt of view which, whatever its reception by the reader, must be commended for the forthrightness of its presentationi. Because these are " essays " one cannot expect the "'notes" to reflect a scrutiny of sources so inelusive as the theme analyzed. The statemenit that "there is no PaniAmerican allianee" may have beeni preceded by a reference to several attempts at such a coinbiliation. GUSTAvE A. NUERMBERGER. Duke University Library. Memorias de Plancho Villa, I. El Hornbre y s?Cs Armitas. By MARTIN Luis GUZMAN.(Mexico City: Ediciones Botas, 1938. Pp. 328. $3.00.) The first of a projected series of volumes of the "memoirs" of Pancho Villa, El Hownbre y sus Armas makes clear the general plan and procedure of Seiior Guzman'5s work. According to a foreword, the text of the memoirs is based in part uponl Guzm'ai's coilsultatioi of "the papers anid documeiits of the archive" of Villa, no0w in the possession of Villa's widow, Sefora Austreberta Renteria, as well as certain papers furnished by Seiiorita Nellie Campobello. It would be interestinig to know just how much of the easy-flowinig narrative, written in the first persoll, is ill the originial words of Doroteo Aranigo (Panieho Villa) himself. That is a very difficult matter to determinie. But it is safe to say that the story of Villa's personal life loses nionieof its vivid melodrama by beinig told in the polished phrases of the compiler-author. TIi fact, the story probably gaiiis in amplitude, although unidoubtedly much of the peonl idiom is lost. Followinig the maniiier of a Mexican folk legend and with more thani a suggestioni of the style of a corriido,the first five chapters (pp. 5-75), carry Villa's life story from the time of his supposed flight from home at the age of seventeen to the day in Chihuahua City, November 17, 1910, wheni he anid his bandido followers are said to have been gathered by Abraham Goiizalez into the revolutionary service of Francisco I. Madero. It wrouldseem that in explaininlg the circumstances of his leavinig home, there has beeni put inlto Villa's words the more romanitic anid charitable versioni among several that have been reported by previous studenits of Villa anid his career. Except as an illustrationi of revolutioniary technique, the boastful, swift-moving chapters VI-XVII (pp. 77-247), are somewhat less inter-

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BOOKREVIEWS

245

esting. They chiefly deal with the early skirmiiishings anld raids of the Madero Revolutionl, with somewhat fanciful explanations of why Villa was patriotic, with the relations of Villa and Madero, the siege and capture of Ciudad Juarez, May 10, 1911, and the quarrel between Villa anid Pascual Orozco. Villa's arrival at Mexico City after the triumph of the Revolution, andI his relations with Huerta are given, naturally, his own coloring as was the case in his dispute with Orozco. The remainiing chapters. of this volume cover Villa's open break with Huerta, his dramatic escape from prison after disillusionmlient as to Madero's character, alnd his flight with Carlos J'auregui through western Mexico and into the Uniited States, a journey which he says was completed on January 2, 1913, at Nogales. of Most of the volume is in dialogue, and mnuch it consists of wiitty remarks alnd repartee, characterized by a good deal of clownishnless, quite in keeping with wihat is known of Villa. The flow of events, while generally smooth andl rapid, sometimes appears to be illogical and rather indifferent to the priniciples of historical accuracy. Perliaps the chief value of the book is to be found in the occasional flashes of Rabelaisian humor and native wit, revealing the spirit which seems to have mnadePancho Villa a permalnelnthero to so many of the common people of northern Mexico. But it is obviously one of the chief funetions of the first volume of the series, to present the most familiar and acceptable characteristics of the central figure. Herein, it is the judgment of the reviewer, Guzinan has succeeded, regardless of some apparent weaknesses of presentation in other respects. Arizona State College.
RUFUs KAY WYLLYS.

Memiorias de Pancho Villa, 11. Camnpos Batalla. By MARTIN Luis de GUZMAN. (Mexico City: Ediciones Botas, 1939. Pp. 336. $3.00.) The second volume of the series of Guzmnauiized "'memoirs" of Paleho Villa begins abruptly with Villa's exile in the United States in 1913, anid his efforts to returni across the border anid recover colntrol of Chihuahua. After ani appreciable lapse of timne, anid after elaborate negotiations and initrigues raniging from Arizolna to Texas, Villa tries to make clear his reasonis for adherence to Veiiustianio Carranza's revolt against the lnew I-luertista regime in Mexico City. He relates in some detail hiis dealinigs with Carranza, with Alvaro Obrego6n,ancd with Jose' Maria Maytorena of Sonora, miiostly conducted through the medium of Juani Saicehez Azeonia. These matters occupy chapters I-II (pp. 5-33). Chapter III is occupied wviththe siege anid taking of Torreo6i, auid followinig in c-lose succession are rather

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