• The Authentic Life of Billy the Kid

  • By: Pat F. Garrett
  • Narrated by: Daniel Luna
  • Length: 5 hrs and 29 mins
  • 4.2 out of 5 stars (212 ratings)

Access a growing selection of included Audible Originals, audiobooks, and podcasts.
You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
Audible Plus auto-renews for $7.95/mo after 30 days. Upgrade or cancel anytime.
The Authentic Life of Billy the Kid  By  cover art

The Authentic Life of Billy the Kid

By: Pat F. Garrett
Narrated by: Daniel Luna
Try for $0.00

$7.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $20.00

Buy for $20.00

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

Reputed to have killed his first man at the age of 12, William Bonney went on to gun his way into Western legend as Billy the Kid. When he was finally shot himself at the age of 21, the Kid was famous throughout the country as the boy who, so he boasted, had killed a man for every year of his life.

This is the story of William Bonney as told by the lawman who ended his notorious career. While explaining the public sympathy that the citizens of the Southwest often accorded youths like Bonney, Garrett challenges the glorified legends of the Kid, offering instead the more genuine story of a young, reckless cowhand who became a hired gun.

Combining the best elements of eyewitness history with the dramatic flair of a great western novel, this is the clearest account we have of the meteoric career of a man some thought of as a murdering fiend, and others as the Robin Hood of the Southwest.

(P)1997 Blackstone Audio Inc.

Critic reviews

"Was Billy a true Western hero fighting for justice in New Mexico's Lincoln County War or simply a wacko who enjoyed killing? Find out here." (Library Journal)

What listeners say about The Authentic Life of Billy the Kid

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    110
  • 4 Stars
    54
  • 3 Stars
    34
  • 2 Stars
    9
  • 1 Stars
    5
Performance
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    88
  • 4 Stars
    43
  • 3 Stars
    34
  • 2 Stars
    15
  • 1 Stars
    8
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    112
  • 4 Stars
    38
  • 3 Stars
    33
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    4

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Bad audio good story

The recording fidelity leaves a lot to be desired but the story is great and well told. It’s amazing how much of the kids life isn’t told in modern documentaries. It’s worth a listen if you have any interest in the west, particularly if you want to hear it in the parlance of the day.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Not the worst

Not a fan of the narrator. The literal bleeping of words got annoying, just read the story dude, as it was written.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great book

I bought the hard copy so I can read it in more detail. i am fascinated by the history of billy the kid and wanted to read this book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Bastante bueno

Bastante bueno como cultura general, un libro entretenido, ha estado bien.
Gracias y buena lectura

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent Account of a Desparado

Well written story of Billy the Kid. Nice to get facts for a change rather than mostly fiction

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Liked the story but…

How many biographies can you read that are penned by the man who killed the subject? My only complaint about this work is the recording. It flips between sounding like it was recorded with a cassette player (I’m aging myself) to sounding like it was recorded on a cassette player from inside a box. The reading was good enough but the audio quality was not very good.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Audio

Reader was really good but the audio isn’t great…I’d relate it to the quality of audio you get via Bluetooth in your vehicle. I don’t understand why some of these audio books can’t give HD quality audio

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great story…

To hear the story from someone who was there and had first hand knowledge is a rare opportunity. Worth the price of the purchase.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Interesting Take…

Good story- glad I read the official version. I learned a great many things. The Audible recording was not the best quality (very rare), being louder and softer in certain places and muffled considerably in others. Almost sounds like it was recorded in mono vs. stereo. Otherwise it was a fun, fast read.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

well done except for the obvious patch ins.

Good history from one who was actually there. Garrett is now looked upon as a villain, but was in fact doing the duty others were afraid to do.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful