Rating: 
Summary: The most comprehensive work on Pancho Villa
Review: "The Life and Times of Pancho Villa" is the most complete source for information regarding this internationally recognized Mexican warrior. Katz, unlike other authors, gives a complete biography of the man, his myths and his legacy; as well as the geopolitical background corresponding to the periods of Villa's life. Both as a historian and a mexican, I feel that this is the one piece of literature that is completely indispensable for anyone that wants to know what happened during the so-called "mexican revolution" at the beginnings of the century and how this situation fits in with the rest of the world at this time. (i.e. The first World War)
Quite simply, I feel that this comprehensive book is definitely worth a deep read, yet it also satisfies those curious people who are in for a quick browse.
Rating:
Summary: The most comprehensive work on Pancho Villa
Review: "The Life and Times of Pancho Villa" is the most complete source for information regarding this internationally recognized Mexican warrior. Katz, unlike other authors, gives a complete biography of the man, his myths and his legacy; as well as the geopolitical background corresponding to the periods of Villa's life. Both as a historian and a mexican, I feel that this is the one piece of literature that is completely indispensable for anyone that wants to know what happened during the so-called "mexican revolution" at the beginnings of the century and how this situation fits in with the rest of the world at this time. (i.e. The first World War)
Quite simply, I feel that this comprehensive book is definitely worth a deep read, yet it also satisfies those curious people who are in for a quick browse.
Rating: 
Summary: overwrought, overdone, overwhelming
Review: After reading the other reviews on amazon.com, my view as follows will clearly be in the minority. Nonethless, I think the other side of this book needs to be stated--it is way too long, far too detailed, and so loaded down with unnecessary background that I frankly lost sight of ol' Pancho. In frustration I turned to the Encyclopedia Britanica and in about ten minutes learned more about Villa and his times than I did in the first extremely dense 400 pages of Katz's book.It is because of overdone books like this that so many people today refuse to read history. If I could I'd like to get my $29 back!
Rating: 
Summary: researches like an eagle, writes like a wet hen
Review: Authoritative, exhaustive and essential to any student of the Mexican revolution, I nonetheless found this a dull and frustrating book to read. Katz likes his history as dry, colorless and analytical as possible. He keeps anecdotes to an absolute minimum, supplying one every 140 pages or so, and nowhere in the book, as he grinds through his five and six point analyses of every twist and turn taken by the revolution, does he create any narrative tension. In fact he seems determined do the opposite, telling you the outcome of battles before they have been fought, omitting symbolic moments like the fall of Diaz that might offer some narrative satisfaction, and then delving into obscure draft resolutions on agrarian reform or some such in fanatical detail. His primary interest is Villa's moves on the chessboard of the revolution and he deals with Villa's personality, love life, sense of humor, etc, in a few pages of flat bald summary. The man only comes alive when Katz is quoting John Reed. One is tempted to barbarize one of Villa's famous sayings and say that Katz researches like an eagle and writes like a wet hen.
Rating:
Summary: A overloaded bio of a great man and his history
Review: I found myslef trying hard to dive into Mr. Katz journey with Pancho Villa. I respectfully admire him for all of the time and effort that he put into this self masterpiece. But, the information was overwhelming and I tended to look throughly through the chapters looking for stories and not information. I expected that after reading his book, I would be able to get a tighter grip on Mr. Villa and his experiences. I was hoping to join him through his rides within Northern Mexico, but instead I found myself being taken through a scenic route.
Rating:
Summary: A definitive biography of a very complex man
Review: I found this to be a very exhaustive study of one of the most complex characters of the Western Hemisphere in this century. Frequently characterized in US books, television and movies and a besotted and clownish Mexican bandit, Villa was a charismatic revolutionary leader who commanded perhaps the most disciplined army of the Mexican Revolution, strove for social change to benefit the poor and the middle class of Mexico, and who proved to be one of the most "incorruptible" of the leaders of his time. At times brutal and savage, at others magnanimous, he was one of the few leaders of the revolution who refused to enrich himself at the expense of the poor of Mexico. Professor Katz has disclosed a man rarely glimpsed by the US reader, and done so with an even hand, reporting Villa's abuses as well as his triumphs. After a few months rest, I plan to read it again.
Rating: 
Summary: This Book is too long
Review: I had to read this book for my History of Latin America class, which I just didn't bother doing, cause it was way too long. There are many other shorter concise books on good old Pancho Villa. Skip this one and get a shorter one.
Rating:
Summary: If you like "comparative," you'll love this work!
Review: I recently finished Katz'z book. Without sounding as if I am simply "gushing" with enthusiasm, it is not an easy task to accurately express the positive attitude I have about this book. Thus, in an attempt to be somewhat objective, I'll try to focus more on the comparative aspect of the work. Katz manages to give the reader a sense of perspective not only of the man Pancho Villa--and northern Mexico--he also contrasts Villa with a number of other Mexican revolutionaries of the times, most notably Emiliano Zapata. Yet, Katz does much more, he paints an expressive and incisive overall portrait of the Mexican Revolution (which was not just one event, it was a series of "revolutions"); he provides a comparative perspective for evalutating both the similarities and the uniqueness of Villa and the Mexican Revolution, in relation to to other Latin American AND other twentieth century revolutionary movements, and leaders. Truly the book is an awesome achievement. Katz provides a wealth of facts but never loses the overall perspective, it all fits together. He provides both "top-down" and "bottom-up" aspects of Villa, his associates, and the times--and the Mexico--in which they lived. Additionally, Katz always manages to maintain his course; he is objective and dispassionate in his analysis and interpretations of individual events and personalites--but he is not shy about offering his own (well-considered) opinions. The book provides a wealth of newly discovered information. Finally, (as if what I have already written is not enough!) the book is a tribute to a wonderfully insightful scholar; behind the book is obviously an intelligent (very intelligent) person; it is a masterpiece of historical craftsmanship, produced by an excellent writer.
Rating:
Summary: History is in the telling
Review: Mr. Katz is no story teller. I have no doubt he worked hard and did many hours of research, which dedication is commendable, perhaps, but he did not get the story on the page. The reader of this work is presented with a tome. It is pedantic and formidable and flat, and many of its author's historical conclusions are dead wrong, research or no research. I would suggest to Mr. Katz that he direct his efforts to less tumultuous historical climates in future--Austria, for example--and stay out of the Mexican deserts.
Rating:
Summary: Rigorous history that is more exciting than fiction
Review: Probably, the most important thing about this book is the fact that, though its subject is one of the most misunderstood characters of world history, it rests on an extremely rigorous research. Prof. Katz, one of the most serious and best historians you can read, and a specialist in Mexico, sought and found every available source of information. His history is as objective as it could be. But this is much more than just a biography of Pancho Villa; it is a history of the Mexican Revolution that develops around Villa and his movement. Besides, the life of Villa is more impressive, exciting and interesting than many, many fictional characters, even when the historian puts the legends aside and stays within the boundaries of solid data. It is really a pity that most people have an idea of Villa which comes from easy novels (like "The friends of Pancho Villa"). These novels may be good or bad, but most of the time they are pure fantasy. For example, most of them paint Villa as a bandit who led a disorderly band of killers. Well, surprise! Villa, who certainly had a past as an outlaw, managed to organize the most formidable war machine of the Revolution. During the 1910-1911, and 1913-1915 campaigns, his army was the best in terms of logistics, organization, discipline, morale, and strategy (until Villa made serious mistakes and Obregon defeated him). And more surprises: of all the revolutionary armies, Villa's was the most disciplined in terms of their behavior. Villa strongly prohibited and punished vandalism, rapes, destruction and raids. This is not to say they were a band of angels, but their cruelty and the devastation they created must be put in context. Carranza's army was much more terrible, and Carranza was no bandit, but a wealthy landowner. Anyway, this is a magnificent piece of work, extremely readable. Of course, it will not satisfy the reviewer below, who was looking for ten minutes of information in the Brittanica (very flawed, by the way), or the person who was looking just for "stories" and less "information". This, though extremely enjoyable, is serious history for serious readers who, along the way, find the amazing story of a contradictory man, with great wits, poor education, no significant traces of corruption (he had multiple opportunities to steal, run and keep the money, and never did it), extreme attitudes of cruelty, ruthlesness, violence, and also generosity, tenderness, and loyalty. Neither simple bandit nor saint: just an extraordinary man living in the hardest of times, escaping from death time after time, until the last time. Fictional characters don't get more amazing and historians don't get any better.
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