Joy of the Birds — Gale Cooper

Joy of the Birds is a milestone in the literature of Billy the Kid. It is arguably the definitive revisionist telling of his story. Based on research utilizing 40,000 pages of archival documents and books, and input of over 300 consultants, Joy of the Birds creates a virtual world. As docufiction, it ends 130 years of cover-up by the Santa Fe Ring: a corrupt cabal of robber baron politicians, law enforcement, and hit-man thugs which caused the freedom fight known as the Lincoln County War. Central to that uprising was Billy Bonney, outlawed by these enemies as Billy the Kid. That war's last survivor, he had to die. The truth could have brought down President Hayes's administration. Joy of the Birds is also a tale of star-crossed romance between charismatic Billy and young Paulita Maxwell, the richest heiress in New Mexico