Bibliography and Sources
What follows are mostly personal recommendations.
- Wyatt Earp : Frontier Marshal by Stuart N. Lake
This was actually meant to be Wyatt's official biography. Wyatt, himself, may well have whitewashed some of his life when talking to Stuart Lake, but Lake compounded the problem by polishing Wyatt's image up to a point where it was bound to get knocked down. In Lake's papers, hours and hours of interviews, is a much more accurate picture, but the book still has a lot going for it.
- Tombstone's Epitaph : The history of a frontier town as chronicled in it's newspaper - by Douglas D. Martin
This is great for it's reprints of Epitaph articles.
- I Married Wyatt Earp : The Recollections of Josephine Sarah Marcus Earp by Glenn Boyers
This is supposeably Josephine's memoirs put in a manageable form by Glenn Boyers, but in fact there is a whole lot of artifice here. Glenn Boyer has done a great disservice to Western history by his less than scrupulous scholarship. However, that said, there is some valuable insights to be found here. You just have to figure out what is fiction and what is fact.
- Doc Holliday by Jim Myers, John M. Myers
Nice little biography - recommended.
- The Truth About Wyatt Earp by Richard E. Erwin
I found this to be a gem and highly illuminating, not for new facts, but for the perspicuity that Erwin, a defense attorney of many years experience, brings to his examination of the existing facts from primary source material.
- Wyatt Earp : The Life Behind the Legend by Casey Tefertiller
This is by far the most definitive biography of Wyatt's life - pulling no punches, but examining all the facts. I highly recommend it. I wish it covered more of Wyatt's life, but like most is focused on Tombstone.
- Inventing Wyatt Earp : His Life and Many Legends by Allen Barra
This is a great book, and a good read. Allen Barra debunks the debunkers and talks about the myth that is Wyatt Earp, a necessary consideration in the study.
- The Earp Papers : In a Brother's Image by Don Chaput
Excellent resource, unfortunately out of print.
- Doc Holliday : A Family Portrait by Karen Holliday Tanner, Robert K. Dearment
- And Die in the West : The Story of the O.K. Corral Gunfight
An excellent read with good presentation of the overall picture. Still it's a bit sketchy in places as to the source material.
- Bat Masterson : The Man and the Legend by Robert K. De Arment, Robert K. Dearment
- Illustrated Life and Times of Wyatt Earp by Bob Boze Bell
This is a beautiful book, with great illustrations by Bob Boze Bell and many photographs not found in other books. I don't always agree with Bell's interpretations of the evidence, however.
- John Ringo : The Gunfighter Who Never Was by Jack Burrows
Definitely a good read, though I think it needs updating. It's not going to please those that like to mythologize bad guys into heroes.
In all fairness, the other side of the coin . . .
- The Earp Brothers of Tombstone : The Story of Mrs. Virgil Earp by Frank Waters
Another suspect book - Mrs. Virgil Earp was supposed to be shocked and angry by what Frank Waters did with her story. First drafts of the book reveal Waters fakery. Presumably though some of the Allie Earp recollections are authentic.
- John Ringo by David Johnson
Mixed reviews on this book and I haven't read it yet, but it came highly recommended by those interested in the cowboy side of the story.
- Gunsmoke : The True Story of Old Tombstone by Grace McCool
Another recommendation.
- Helldorado : Bringing the Law to the Mesquite
by William H. Breakenridge
This is a must read for any historian on the topic, but since this is a revision, you might want to locate an earlier printing.
- Wyatt Earp : The Untold Story by Ed Bartholomew, two volumes
Long out of print so I gave you a link to abebooks.com but you'll find that even battered used copies are a lot of money (try hundreds of dollars). I got the first volume off ebay for about ten bucks so you might want to look out there. Otherwise try the library.
- Gunman's Rhapsody by Robert B. Parker
An interesting book and a smooth read. I'm not sure I agree with the portrayal of Wyatt and the causes behind the gunfight.
- Bucking the Tiger by Bruce Olds
Just started this one. Rich textured language. Definitely post-modern in style.
- Ok : The Corral, the Earps, and Doc Holliday by Paul West
Well written, psychological look at Doc Holliday. Too bad the author relied so heavily on Frank Waters as a source for the history.
- Who Rides with Wyatt by Will Henry
Decent mainstream Western genre fiction set around Wyatt and the gunfight. An interesting blend of fact and fiction written in 1954.
- Ok : The Corral, the Earps, and Doc Holliday by Paul West
Well written, psychological look at Doc Holliday. Too bad the author relied so heavily on Frank Waters as a source for the history.
- The Winter Wolf : Wyatt Earp in Alaska by Richard Parry
I found this fictional alternative history to be very enjoyable.
- The Wolf Pack by Richard Parry
Sequel to the one above.
- Wolf's Cub by Richard Parry
Final in the series.
- Wyatt Earp by Matt Braun
I confess I loathed this book. I include it because I'm a great list maker.
- Doc Holliday : The Gunfighter by Richard Parry
Since I hated the Wyatt Earp by this author I haven't started this one yet.
- Wyatt Earp : Widescreen Expanded Edition directed by Lawrence Kasdan starring Kevin Costner, Dennis Quaid, Gene Hackman. 1994
A dark and complex look at Wyatt Earp's entire life from youth to Alaska. Unfortunately it is marred in a number of ways. Still I find it grows on me and the expanded version is definitely an improvement in terms of cohesiveness from the original release.
- Tombstone directed by George P. Cosmatos starring Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer, Sam Elliot, et al. 1993
I confess I love this movie. It inspired my interest in Wyatt Earp and even though I now know where it falls down historically, it's still a damn fine movie and by far the best cinematic portrayal of Wyatt Earp.
- Ok : The Corral, the Earps, and Doc Holliday by Paul West
Well written, psychological look at Doc Holliday. Too bad the author relied so heavily on Frank Waters as a source for the history.
- Gunfight at the OK Corral directed by John Sturges starring Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas. 1957
Forget history, just enjoy Burt and Kirk do what they do best.
- Hour of the Gun directed by John Sturges starring James Garner and Jason Robards. 1967
Sturges revisits Wyatt Earp a decade later. Interesting movie. James Garner plays Wyatt with a stick up his rear and Jason Robards is too small but it's perhaps one of the earliest attempts to bring some historical dimension to the tale.
- My Darling Clementine directed by John Ford starring Henry Fonda and Victure Mature. 1946
"Do you want good history or a good movie?" Quote by John Ford. Nuff said.
- Doc directed by Frank Perry starring Stacy Keach. 1971
Hate, hate, hated this movie. I'm showing my impartiality to include it and my fondness for the acting of Stacy Keach.
- Sunset directed by Blake Edwards starring Bruce Willis and James Garner.
Edwards has never been a good directo but I found this entertaining nonetheless. Title is really stupid and vague. It's set in Hollywood during the silent era and teams up Wyatt Earp and Tom Mix (real life friends). This is Garner's second outing as Wyatt Earp and by far an improvement over his stiff portrayal in Hour of the Gun.
More recommendations coming, as I keep reading, watching, and adding to my own library.
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