{"product_id":"the-life-and-adventures-of-joaquin-murieta","title":"The Life and Adventures of Joaquín Murieta","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Life and Adventures of Joaquin Murieta\u003c\/i\u003e (1854) is a novel by John Rollin Ridge. Published under his birth name Yellow Bird, from Cheesquatalawny in Cherokee, \u003ci\u003eThe Life and Adventures of Joaquin Murieta\u003c\/i\u003e was the first novel from a Native American author. Despite its popular success worldwide-the novel was translated into French and Spanish--Ridge's work was a financial failure due to bootleg copies and widespread plagiarism. Recognized today as a groundbreaking work of nineteenth century fiction, \u003ci\u003eThe Life and Adventures of Joaquin Murieta\u003c\/i\u003e is a powerful novel that investigates American racism, illustrates the struggle for financial independence among marginalized communities, and dramatizes the lives of outlaws seeking fame, fortune, and vigilante justice. Born in Mexico, Joaquin Murieta came to California in search of gold. Despite his belief in the American Dream, he soon faces violence and racism from white settlers who see his success as a miner as a personal affront. When his wife is raped by a mob of white men and after Joaquin is beaten by a group of horse thieves, he loses all hope of living alongside Americans and turns to a life of vigilantism. Joined by a posse of similarly enraged Mexican-American men, Joaquin becomes a fearsome bandit with a reputation for brutality and stealth. Based on the life of Joaquin Murrieta Carrillo, also known as The Robin Hood of the West, \u003ci\u003eThe Life and Adventures of Joaquin Murieta\u003c\/i\u003e would serve as inspiration for Johnston McCulley's beloved pulp novel hero Zorro. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSince our inception in 2020, Mint Editions has kept sustainability and innovation at the forefront of our mission. Each and every Mint Edition title gets a fresh, professionally typeset manuscript and a dazzling new cover, all while maintaining the integrity of the original book. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWith thousands of titles in our collection, we aim to spotlight diverse public domain works to help them find modern audiences. Mint Editions celebrates a breadth of literary works, curated from both canonical and overlooked classics from writers around the globe.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eRidge, John Rollin:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eJohn Rollin Ridge\u003c\/b\u003e (1827-1867) was a novelist, poet, and member of the Cherokee Nation. Born in New Echota Georgia, Ridge was the son of John Ridge, a prominent Cherokee leader and signatory of the 1836 Treaty of New Echota, which allowed the cession of Cherokee lands and led to the devastation of the Trail of Tears. Following his father's murder by supporters of Cherokee leader John Ross, Ridge was taken to Arkansas by his mother. In 1843, he was sent to study at the Great Barrington School in Massachusetts before returning to Fayetteville to pursue a law degree. He married Elizabeth Wilson in 1847 after publishing his first known poem, \"To a Thunder Cloud,\" in the \u003ci\u003eArkansas State Gazette\u003c\/i\u003e. Two years later, Ridge was forced to flee to California with his wife and daughter after murdering a man named David Kell, whom he believed to be involved in his father's assassination. Out West, he published \u003ci\u003eThe Life and Adventures of Joaquin Murieta\u003c\/i\u003e to popular acclaim, making him the first known Native American novelist. Ridge was a prominent figure in California's fledgling literary scene, serving as the first editor of the \u003ci\u003eSacramento Bee\u003c\/i\u003e and writing for the \u003ci\u003eSan Francisco Herald\u003c\/i\u003e. Controversial for his assimilationist politics, slave ownership, and support of the Copperheads during the American Civil War, Ridge is nevertheless a pioneering figure in Native American literary history.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mint Editions","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50448565993746,"sku":"9781513283418","price":5.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_d1371885-6bab-4bd8-b373-e2d64b519d26.jpg?v=1729735905","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/the-life-and-adventures-of-joaquin-murieta","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}