Summary

A true left-wing adventure novel with Paco at his post-modern best.In this elegant and literate adventure novel set in 1920's post-revolutionary Mexico, Paco Ignacio Taibo II is searching for a hero, specifically a leftist hero, and he thinks he has found him in the person of Sebastian San Vicente. But everyone-including the baffled novelist-is trying to figure out exactly who San Vicente really is. There is some record of San Vicente in FBI records during the Wilson era, and some mention of him in anarchist records and rumors, but the rest has to be filled in. And who better to do this than Taibo? Meanwhile-with Taibo busy in the background trying to resolve the mystery of his hero's identity-San Vicente goes about his heroic avocation of organizing strikes against the capitalists, dodging thugs and hiding out from the Mexican Army. "As an activist in Mexico in the '60s, Paco Ignacio Taibo II began a search for figures in leftist history that his generation could look up to. Today an internationally famous detective novelist ( An Easy Thing , etc.), the writer has validated his quest with a novel-documentary, in which he reimagines a historical figure-a mysterious Spanish anarchist named Sebastian San Vicente. Casting himself in a tale set 29 years before he was born, Taibo chronicles his present-day research and depicts a range of first person characters (some of them real figures) who engage with the elusive anarchist. Incorporating historical documents or documents based on fact-letters, telegrams, police files, etc.-the author further blurs the boundary between fact and fiction. Taibo's affectionate account of working-class culture in a phase of heroic struggle is a perfect little jeu d'esprit ."-Publisher's Weekly "A hilariously funny novel that satirizes every possible aspect of the politics and social fabric of 20th-century Mexico. Taibo is one of Mexico's most popular writers, known for his detective fiction and more mainstream novels like Leonardo's Bicycle. Then again, mainstream may be the wrong word-in the latter two titles, as in this, Taibo plays with the definitions of novel, history, politics and time. Very highly recommended."-Library Journal (starred review)

Author Biography

PACO IGNACIO TAIBO II is currently the president of the International Association of Crime Writers and also serves as the Chief Archivist for the Cardenas administration in Mexico City.

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Excerpts

Chapter One

WIRE GREENE TO HOOVER. SICT 23011. REF 1023. SAN ANTONIO. RETRANS NEW ORLEANS. REPT BRIEFING AUG 18, 1920.

NEWS SAN VICENTE INVOLVED INVEST PRES WILSON ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT. SEEN N ORLEANS C JULY 16 LAST W JOSE RUBIO (REF 1027). BOTH CONNECTED ANARCHISTS GROUP BASED TAMPA FLA. CUBAN-BORN TOBACCO WORKERS. SPECIAL CONTACT MATEO VEGA, VEGAS OR VIGAS (REF 1927/11). SAN VICENTE PROBABLY LEFT COUNTRY, ATTEMPTING TO LEAVE, TO LEAVE SOON. FILE REF IWW EAST COAST ACTIVITIES. INVESTIGATION UNDER WAY. SAN VICENTE SENTENCED TO DEPORTATION BUT FEDERAL TRIAL PENDING RE ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT. DETAILS TO FOLLOW.

DOLLY.

WIRE HOOVER TO GREENE TO DOLLY. URGENT COPIES TO CHESTER AND WILCOX. WASHINGTON. BRIEFING REPT SICT 23118. REF 1023 AND 1027. AUG 20, 1920.

ALL PORTS ARREST WARRANT SAN VICENTE AKA RUBIO. PREVENT DEPARTURE FROM COUNTRY. FOLLOW UP IF THE CONTRARY. AUTHORIZATION LIMITED TO MEXICO, CUBA, CANADA. MAX ALLOCATION SIX AGENTS FOR SAME.

HOOVER.

* * *

WIRE BAXTER TO DOLLY. RETRANS DOLLY TO HOOVER. SICT 24911. REF 1023 AND 1027. SEPT 2, 1920.

SAN VICENTE AKA RUBIO LOCATED. RUMORS LOCATED THEM IN N ORLEANS. FALSE TRAIL SET UP BY THEMSELVES. TRYING TO CROSS BORDER DEL RIO, TEX. AGENT FOLLOWING WITH COVER.

BAXTER.

* * *

WIRE LYMAN TO HOOVER. SICT 25013. REF 1023 AND 1027. SEPT 6, 1920.

RUMORS IN ANARCHIST CIRCLES NEW YORK LOCATE RUBIO, SAN VICENTE HERE, ATTEMPTING LEAVE COUNTRY. CONFIRMATION IMPOSSIBLE, ALL PORTS WARNING.

LYMAN.

* * *

WIRE DOLLY TO HOOVER. SAN ANTONIO RETRANS. SICT 25819. REF 1023. SEPT 7, 1920.

CALVERT WOUNDED IN FOOT BY SMUGGLERS, DEL RIO, TEX. SAN VICENTE LEAD FALSE. INVESTIGATION HERE ABANDONED. APOLOGIES.

BAXTER.

* * *

WIRE HOOVER TO GREENE. GENERAL BULLETIN. REF 1023 AND 1027. SICT 25910. SEPT 9, 1920.

RESULT NEW YORK INVESTIGATION PROVES SAN VICENTE AKA RUBIO NOT INVOLVED WILSON CASE. STILL INTEREST TO APPREHEND VIA DEPORTATION FROM CUBA, WHERE CASE PENDING RE MURDER POLICE OFFICER HAVANA. MAINTAIN PRIORITY. MAX POSSIBILITIES SOUTHEAST COAST.

HOOVER.

* * *

WIRE CHESTER TO DOLLY. NATURAL. REF 1023 AND 1027. SEPT 12, 1920.

LYMAN FOUND IN BAY BY TUGBOAT. ASSERTS THROWN IN SEA FROM GERMAN MERCHANT SHIP BY SAN VICENTE, WHOM HE FOUND AMONG PASSENGERS. LYMAN SEVERE PNEUMONIA CAUSED 11 HOURS IN WATER. SAN VICENTE SHIP CALLS MEXICO, HAVANA, PANAMA. LYMANS STATE PRECLUDES MORE DETAILS. BLAMES SAN VICENTE AT TIMES, HIS COUSIN LEO BRUCE AT OTHERS. SUGGEST HANDLE INFO WITH CARE.

CHESTER.