Booker prize winning author Michael Ondaatje invites you on a brutal, beautiful journey into the American West. At twenty-one years old, Billy the Kid has killed a man for each year he’s been alive. Roaming the blasted planes of the Wild West, he moves between friends, foes and lovers, fighting to keep just one step ahead of the law.

Yet in this twisted wasteland – a country of mad dogs, of sweat and gore and blinding heat – the sheriffs play dirty too. Melding prose, poetry, imagined interviews and ephemeral photography, Ondaatje weaves together a lyrical reinterpretation of Billy’s short, infamous existence, forming a portrait of a young man, and a young country, borne out of violence, threaded through with disaster, yet rich in wonder. ‘Ondaatje’s language is clean and energetic, with the pop of bullets.

This is literature, art. ’ Annie Dillard'Ondaatje’s eye for detail is wonderful and he uses it poetically, with superb restraint' Larry McMurtry.

Why You Should Read?

• Offers a lyrical reinterpretation of Billy the Kid's short, infamous existence, challenging conventional narratives.
• Blends prose, poetry, imagined interviews, and ephemeral photography for a unique reading experience.
• Provides a portrait of a young man and a young country, revealing the beauty found within violence and disaster.
• Features a clean and energetic language style, capturing the intensity of the Wild West.

About the Author

Michael Ondaatje is a highly acclaimed Sri Lankan-born Canadian poet, novelist, editor, and filmmaker. He is best known for his lyrical and evocative writing style, which often explores themes of history, memory, and cultural identity. Ondaatje's work has garnered numerous awards, including the Booker Prize for "The English Patient." His ability to blend prose and poetry makes him a significant figure in contemporary literature.