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Summary:
Gregorio Cortez Lira, a ranchhand of Mexican parentage, was virtually unknown until one summer day in 1901 when he and a Texas sheriff, pistols in hand, blazed away at each other after a misunderstanding. The sheriff was killed and Gregorio fled immediately, realizing that in practice there was one law for Anglo-Texans, another for Texas-Mexicans. The chase, capture, and imprisonment of Cortez are high drama that cannot easily be forgotten. Even today, in the cantinas along both sides of the Rio Grande, Mexicans sing the praises of the great "sheriff-killer" in the ballad which they call "El Corrido de Gregorio Cortez." Américo Paredes tells the story of Cortez, the man and the legend, in vivid, fascinating detail in "With His Pistol in His Hand," which also presents a unique study of a ballad in the making. Deftly woven into the story are interpretations of the Border country, its history, its people, and their folkways.
Customer Reviews:
Average Customer Rating:
Cortez
Customer Rating:
A fascinating book that examines a border ballad about Gregorio Cortez in terms of the history and culture of the Texas-Mexico border region. The story is not well-know outside of Texas, although it was made into a film in 1988 starring Edward James Olmos. The book was very influential in promoting a greater depth in folklore studies and recognizing that ballads are a performance art and that aspects of the performance add meaning beyond the words.
Terrific Study of Border Folklore
Customer Rating:
One of the most important studies of Mex-Tex folklore, this book is excellent. Paredes describes the legends of Gregorio Cortes and then tracks down what can be historically verified about this border hero. He then provides numerous variants of the ballads sung about Cortes and completes his writing by looking at reasons why the ballad remains an important part of borderland culture. Paredes writes beautifully, and the book is a model for fine ethnographic writing. Tish Hinojosa's song "Con Su Pluma en Su Mano" is a tribute to Paredes, one of her professors.
Excellent Folklore Research
Customer Rating:
This book is a fine study of Mexican-American folklore. Paredes takes a "literary ethnographic" approach to studying the ballad singer Gregorio Cortez. Paredes develops interesting and rich ways of applying literary analysis to the ballads. He also uses the study of history along with ethnographic inquiry to challenge the image of the Texas ranger as a knight in shining armor. For anyone interested in social history, ethnographic study, and literary approaches to studying culture, I would highly recommend seeing how this fine folklorist integrates all three approaches in a fascinating story. What is especially interesting is that he was taking this approach three decades ago.
With his pistol in his hand
Customer Rating:
This outstanding book gives a wonderful look at the rich culture that developed in the geographic region between Mexico and the United States. The people that lived on either side of the border were a mix of religious ideals, values and cultures joined by need,location and lack of powerful policitical presence from either nation.
This book outlines the similiarities and the differences among the people of this region and explains the rich forklore and presence of this unique culture ...not quite Texan and not quite Mexican.
One remarkable feature of the book is an explanation of the development of the Border Ballad called the "Corrido" as a means of transmitting news, building interest, spotlighting injustices and creating legends. It presents a detailed study of the various version of the focal "Corrido de Gregorio Cortez" as an example. The legend, the facts and the politics are given equal emphasis allowing the reader an overview of a different age.
The facts are well documented but much like the "corrido" itself is very entertaining and well researched by this talented author. It presents much needed background for Mexican-Americans whose cultures were seeded in that land that straddled the politics and sentiments of two nations. This book should be required reading in every high school in states along the US Mexico border!
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