Rafael F. Muñoz (May 1, 1899 – July 2, 1972) was a Mexican journalist, novelist and writer of short stories.

Life

Rafael Muñoz was born in Chihuahua on May 1, 1899 as the son of a wealthy farmer. He began his journalistic career at age 16 as a reporter of a daily newspaper in Chihuahua. He also met the

Mexican Revolution The Mexican Revolution () was an extended sequence of armed regional conflicts in Mexico from 20 November 1910 to 1 December 1920. It has been called "the defining event of modern Mexican history". It saw the destruction of the Federal Army, its ...

ary leader

Pancho Villa Francisco "Pancho" Villa ( , , ; born José Doroteo Arango Arámbula; 5 June 1878 – 20 July 1923) was a Mexican revolutionary and prominent figure in the Mexican Revolution. He was a key figure in the revolutionary movement that forced ...

, which kindled his fascination with the revolution. For his sympathy with the revolution he had to flee the country after the election of

Venustiano Carranza José Venustiano Carranza de la Garza (; 29 December 1859 – 21 May 1920), known as Venustiano Carranza, was a Mexican land owner and politician who served as President of Mexico from 1917 until his assassination in 1920, during the Mexican Re ...

in 1917 and worked as journalist in the southwestern

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. After the deposition of Carranza by General

Álvaro Obregón Álvaro Obregón Salido (; 19 February 1880 – 17 July 1928) was a Mexican general, inventor and politician who served as the 46th President of Mexico from 1920 to 1924. Obregón was re-elected to the presidency in 1928 but was assassinated b ...

in 1920, Muñoz returned to

Mexico City Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...

to study journalism. He wrote for the dailies ''El Heraldo'', ''El Gráfico'' and '' El Universal'' and later became director of ''El Nacional''. Rafael Muñoz became famous for his short stories and novels about the Mexican Revolution. In 1928 he published his first collection of stories called ''El feroz cabecilla''. In 1931 he published his most famous novel ''¡Vámonos con Pancho Villa!'', which in 1935 became the basis of '' Vámonos con Pancho Villa'', directed by

Fernando de Fuentes Fernando de Fuentes Carrau (December 13, 1894 – July 4, 1958) was a Mexican film director, considered a pioneer in the film industry worldwide. He is perhaps best known for directing the films ''El prisionero trece'', ''El compadre Mendoza'', a ...

. Rafael Muñoz died in Mexico City on July 2, 1972.

Publications

Stories

* ''El feroz cabecilla. Cuentos de la Revolución en el Norte'' (1928) * ''El hombre malo y otros relatos'' (1930) * ''Si me han de matar mañana'' (1934)

Novels

* ''¡Vámonos con Pancho Villa!'' (1931) * ''Bachimba'' (1934) {{DEFAULTSORT:Munoz, Rafael 1899 births 1972 deaths Writers from Chihuahua People of the Mexican Revolution 20th-century Mexican writers 20th-century Mexican male writers