The Wild West, also known as the American Frontier or Old West, remains a special era in United States history. Historical figures such as Jesse James (1847-1882) and Billy the Kid (1859-1881) are a part of American pop-culture with latter the subject of two Hollywood films in which actor Emilio Estevez plays the famed outlaw. But there is another figure equally as popular and controversial, whose life was also adapted for the silver screen. Anyone familiar with the Old West certainly knows the name of Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp (1848-1929), portrayed in films as noble lawman who survived a shootout with Ike Clanton (1847-1887) and his gang of bandits. When I saw this book, I thought of the films ‘Tombstone‘ and ‘Wyatt Earp‘ which are both fun to watch. Earp’s life was portrayed well, but did Hollywood get it right? The answer is both yes and no, and unsurprisingly, there is more to Earp’s story than shown on the silver screen. This biography by Andew C. Isenberg explores Earp’s life to separate fact from fiction. 

Prior to starting the book, I did read reviews from others who were critical of the book as not being extensive enough. However, most agreed that it is well-researched and a fair look at Wyatt’s life. I cannot say whether this is the “definitive” biography, but I can say that for readers in search of a good starting point from which to learn about Earp’s life, this book is sufficient. I did not see Earp as a villain or hero before I purchased the book. And I have always felt that characters from the Old West were products of their time. Of course, that in no way diminishes the importance of morality but in the Old West, the rules of engagement were different, and life could be exceedingly difficult. 

I was fascinated to learn about the Earp family, particularly Wyatt’s brothers Virgil (1843-1905) and Morgan (1851-1882), both of whom were present during the famous shootout with Clanton’s gang. The Earp family story is surreal, and I found myself glued to the book as the Old West came alive. But I also began to see that the Earps were not as “righteous” as we may have been led to believe. They are best known as lawmen but did not always wear badges. And their actions at times during the story are far from law-abiding. Brothels which were a staple of Old West lore, weigh heavily in the story. The “ladies of the night” had both customers and partners, making the Earp story even more convoluted. Added to this are Wyatt’s  love life and his nomadic movements across North America. The book evolves into a roller coaster ride as Wyatt leaves one town for the next. But during one stop he met a man who became a life-long friend and legend in the Old West himself, John Henry “Doc” Holliday (1852-1887). And on October 26, 1881, the Earp brothers and Holliday became legends of the Old West in a shootout that history could not get enough of. 

If you decide to read this book, you may be asking yourself what really happened at the O.K. Corral? It  lasted less than a minute, was deadly and the result of a feud. The conflict is discussed by the author and is thorough, but I also had the feeling that there was more to the story. Of course, none of the participants are alive and surely took to the grave, smaller details they knew about why the shooting took place. The real-life gun battle had none of the flair and slow-motion of Hollywood. It was fast, vicious, and left people shaken. And it was far from the end of the Clanton-Earp saga which continued to play out well after the shootout. The drama is also discussed within, and at times I felt that it would never end between Clanton and the Earps. 

Following the deadly shootout, further tragedy occurs in the book, and Wyatt is forced to confront the deaths of those closest to him. However, his relationship with Holliday becomes a little unusual, and left me slightly puzzled at what happened. Of course, no explanation will be forthcoming, and it is known that Wyatt visited Holliday before the latter succumbed to the tuberculosis that plagued him. Wyatt eventually made his departure from Tombstone and caught the attention of Hollywood. And it is here that the legend was born. In his final years, he was living with his common-law wife, but the drama surrounding his union with Josephine “Sadie” Earp (1861-1944) is crazy but also in line with Earp’s history. And there are  also the tragedies of his first wife Urilla Sutherland Earp (1850-1870) and second wife by common law, Cecilia Ann “Mattie” Blaylock (1850-1888). Wyatt lived an unorthodox life. But is life truly “normal” for any of us? 

The shootout at the O.K. Corral is forever linked with Earp, Holliday and Clanton names, and Wyatt continues to be seen as a lawman of the Old West. This book is a thorough account of his time of earth, and it encouraged me to explore other biographies about the famed gunslinger. But I wondered if he was a hero, villain, pimp, degenerate, murderer, or opportunist? The truth is complex and nowhere as glamorous as Hollywood productions but it was the life he led. But this is only my opinion. You can be the judge. 

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B009LRWHV8
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Hill and Wang; 1st edition (August 6, 2024)