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Tombstone: The Earp Brothers, Doc Holliday, and the Vendetta Ride from Hell
The true story of the Earp brothers, Doc Holliday, and the famous Battle at the OK Corral, by the New York Times bestselling author of Dodge City and Wild Bill.
On the afternoon of October 26, 1881, nine men clashed in what would be known as the most famous shootout in American frontier history. Thirty bullets were exchanged in thirty seconds, killing three men and wounding three others.
The fight sprang forth from a tense, hot summer. Cattle rustlers had been terrorizing the back country of Mexico and selling the livestock they stole to corrupt ranchers. The Mexican government built forts along the border to try to thwart American outlaws, while Arizona citizens became increasingly agitated. Rustlers, who became known as the cow-boys, began to kill each other as well as innocent citizens. That October, tensions boiled over with Ike and Billy Clanton, Tom and Frank McLaury, and Billy Claiborne confronting the Tombstone marshal, Virgil Earp, and the suddenly deputized Wyatt and Morgan Earp and shotgun-toting Doc Holliday.
Bestselling author Tom Clavin peers behind decades of legend surrounding the story of Tombstone to reveal the true story of the drama and violence that made it famous. Tombstone also digs deep into the vendetta ride that followed the tragic gunfight, when Wyatt and Warren Earp and Holliday went vigilante to track down the likes of Johnny Ringo, Curly Bill Brocius, and other cowboys who had cowardly gunned down his brothers. That "vendetta ride" would make the myth of Wyatt Earp complete and punctuate the struggle for power in the American frontier's last boom town.
On the afternoon of October 26, 1881, nine men clashed in what would be known as the most famous shootout in American frontier history. Thirty bullets were exchanged in thirty seconds, killing three men and wounding three others.
The fight sprang forth from a tense, hot summer. Cattle rustlers had been terrorizing the back country of Mexico and selling the livestock they stole to corrupt ranchers. The Mexican government built forts along the border to try to thwart American outlaws, while Arizona citizens became increasingly agitated. Rustlers, who became known as the cow-boys, began to kill each other as well as innocent citizens. That October, tensions boiled over with Ike and Billy Clanton, Tom and Frank McLaury, and Billy Claiborne confronting the Tombstone marshal, Virgil Earp, and the suddenly deputized Wyatt and Morgan Earp and shotgun-toting Doc Holliday.
Bestselling author Tom Clavin peers behind decades of legend surrounding the story of Tombstone to reveal the true story of the drama and violence that made it famous. Tombstone also digs deep into the vendetta ride that followed the tragic gunfight, when Wyatt and Warren Earp and Holliday went vigilante to track down the likes of Johnny Ringo, Curly Bill Brocius, and other cowboys who had cowardly gunned down his brothers. That "vendetta ride" would make the myth of Wyatt Earp complete and punctuate the struggle for power in the American frontier's last boom town.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published April 21, 2020
823 people are currently reading
3911 people want to read
About the author
Tom Clavin
44 books522 followersTom Clavin is the author/coauthor of eleven books. His most recent is That Old Black Magic: Louis Prima, Keely Smith, and the Golden Age of Las Vegas.
His articles have appeared in Cosmopolitan, Family Circle, Men's Journal, Parade, Reader's Digest, and others.
He was a contributing reporter for the New York Times for fifteen years.
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May 17, 2020
”Tell ‘em the law’s coming. You tell ‘em I’m coming, and hell’s coming with me.”--From the movie Tombstone, written by Kevin Jarre and spoken by Kurt Russell in the role of Wyatt Earp.
That is one of those lines that always gives me the shivers.
Tombstone (1993) is one of those movies that best embodies the collective knowledge that most of us have about what happened in Tombstone on October 26th, 1881. There are a lot of important moments in the history of the American West, but certainly anybody putting together a list of the most memorable events will invariably have to include the Gunfight at the OK Corral as one of those defining moments that best reflects our vision of the West.
Historians and movie directors are fascinated with this gunfight and the larger than life figures who strode down that dusty street. With any historical event, myth gets wrapped around the facts, but I think what makes the Gunfight at the OK Corral so significant is that, once the myth is unravelled from the facts, the truth is as compelling as the hyperbole. I was scratching my head when I discovered that Tom Clavin’s Tombstone and John Boessenecker’s Ride the Devil’s Herd were being released within a month of each other. Both are writers I enjoy reading, and as an odd coincidence, they both decided to write books on the same subject. Another historian I enjoy, Jeff Guinn, released a book in 2011 called The Last Gunfight, also about the events in Tombstone, that I haven’t read yet. Mary Doria Russell wrote the wonderful book Doc that does for Doc Holliday what Hilary Mantel has done for Thomas Cromwell. Russell wrote a follow up book called Epitaph, which also covers the events in Tombstone, that I haven’t read yet and is supposed to be really good. I’ve also read and enjoyed the excellent books Doc Holliday: The Life and Legend by Gary L. Roberts and Wyatt Earp: The Life Behind the Legend by Casey Tefertiller.
See what I mean about the fascination?
There has been a plethora of riches on the subject of the Gunfight at the OK Corral. It shows the importance that historians have accorded to this event. I will end up reading all these books, but most of you probably won’t feel the need to tread the same ground numerous times, even if the perspectives are different. For me, the OK Corral and the events surrounding it are similar to Custer’s last stand, a source of endless speculation and new revelations.
Tom Clavin, in this book, takes us through the early history of the Tombstone area, from the conquistadors to the end of Wyatt Earp’s vengeful ride. If a few things had happened differently, Tombstone might have been as large as Tucson instead of a ghost town that has become a destination for tourists. Clavin does a great job clarifying some of the issues and situations that lead up to the gunfight. The Earps were in Tombstone to make money, and the last thing they really wanted to do was risk their lives taking on the Cowboy elements, but it became evident to them that they were at more risk continuing to let people like Ike and Billy Clanton and Frank and Tom McLaury shoot off their mouths about what they were intending to do to the Earps to anyone who would listen.
The Earps couldn’t abide it.
Wyatt Earp’s good friend from his Dodge City days, Bat Masterson, was in Tombstone to lend a helping hand. He received a telegram before October 26th warning him of a perilous situation involving his brother Jim. He’d already buried one brother in Dodge and didn’t want to bury another, and so he promptly left to go help his sibling. If there was one thing the Earps could understand, it was the importance of brotherly affection. It gives me chills though to think that, if Masterson had remained, he would have made that walk down the street to destiny with Wyatt, Virgil, Morgan, and Doc.
Clavin also paints a vivid picture of Johnny Behan, the sheriff of Tombstone, who told Virgil just before the gunfight that he’d disarmed the Clantons and the McLaurys. There was bad blood between Johnny and Wyatt. They desired the same woman, Josephine Marcus, AKA Sadie Mansfield. I’d like to say that Sadie was her stage name, but it was the identity she assumed when she was knocking boots with whatever man had the coin to pay for her time. She must have had that something something. I like the way Virgil’s wife Allie described her: ”Her charms were undeniable. She had a small, trim body and a meneo of the hips that kept her full, flounced skirts bouncing. Sadie was an attractive woman with thick, dark hair, vivid black eyes, and was well endowed.” How about Allie’s use of the word meneo?
Wyatt Earp biographer Stuart Lake wrote: ”Johnny Behan’s girl was the key to the whole yarn in Tombstone.” I don’t buy that, but there is no denying that her presence and the rivalry for her affection did add some spice to the conflict.
The problems between Earp and Behan were much more than just rivalry for the affections of a woman.
Wyatt had made a deal with Johnny regarding the race for sheriff. Wyatt, ever practical, had suggested that he would drop out of the race if Behan would make him his deputy. Behan won the election and promptly reneged on the agreement. It became one of those situations where anything the Earps were for Behan was against. Behan must have been one smooth talking son-of-a-bitch because he always managed to land on his feet and also made a habit out of fucking his friends’ wives. Screwing around with one friend’s wife is one thing, but when it becomes several it certainly indicates that Behan considered it a sport. If Behan had been a more trustworthy fellow, he could have stopped the gunfight well before it escalated into violence.
Virgil was the only official law officer involved in the gunfight, and Donald Chaput, in his biography of Virgil Earp, makes the case that Virgil should have been the most famous Earp. I would agree that Virgil does get short changed, and I think that, if Wyatt had been shot instead of Virgil, history would have anointed Virgil with a large part of the fame. Part of the mystique of Wyatt is that he was the only person in the Gunfight at the OK Corral to emerge unscathed. He was also the man, while Virgil was recovering from wounds received after the fight, who went on the vengeance trail to avenge the killing of his brother Morgan. There was a point where Wyatt and his “posse” were ambushed by Cowboys and Doc was sure that Wyatt had been cut to pieces, but all the bullets missed him. It was like something out of a Matrix movie. A heel was shot off his boot; his clothing was tattered with bullet holes, and his saddle horn had been shot off.
Newton is not pictured, and even though he is considered the quiet Earp, he was the first sheriff of Garden City, Kansas. Newton was the oldest, followed by James, Virgil, Wyatt, Morgan, and Warren was the youngest. They looked so much alike that people referred to them as peas in a pod.
There was just something larger than life about Wyatt Earp. All the Earp brothers, even those older than him, deferred to Wyatt. The Earps were in Tombstone because Wyatt asked them to come. I’ve always been fascinated with the bond these brothers shared. Their “wives” (the Earp version of marriage was whoever they were living with at the time) often felt excluded because they could never feel as close to their husbands as the brothers felt to each other. When the younger brother Morgan was shot in the back while playing pool and died, the situation in Tombstone went from dire to intolerable. Wyatt felt that the only justice for his brother existed outside the law.
Clavin does an excellent job laying out all the facts and discussing the myths. If you are looking for a starting point to learn about the Gunfight at the OK Corral, this is a great overview that also includes an expanded history of Tombstone itself. ”This is where a lifetime of trouble began.”
So strap yourself in, and know that, whatever book you choose to read about Tombstone, you are in for one helluva ride.
If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit http://www.jeffreykeeten.com
I also have a Facebook blogger page at:https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten and an Instagram account https://www.instagram.com/jeffreykeeten/
That is one of those lines that always gives me the shivers.
Tombstone (1993) is one of those movies that best embodies the collective knowledge that most of us have about what happened in Tombstone on October 26th, 1881. There are a lot of important moments in the history of the American West, but certainly anybody putting together a list of the most memorable events will invariably have to include the Gunfight at the OK Corral as one of those defining moments that best reflects our vision of the West.
Historians and movie directors are fascinated with this gunfight and the larger than life figures who strode down that dusty street. With any historical event, myth gets wrapped around the facts, but I think what makes the Gunfight at the OK Corral so significant is that, once the myth is unravelled from the facts, the truth is as compelling as the hyperbole. I was scratching my head when I discovered that Tom Clavin’s Tombstone and John Boessenecker’s Ride the Devil’s Herd were being released within a month of each other. Both are writers I enjoy reading, and as an odd coincidence, they both decided to write books on the same subject. Another historian I enjoy, Jeff Guinn, released a book in 2011 called The Last Gunfight, also about the events in Tombstone, that I haven’t read yet. Mary Doria Russell wrote the wonderful book Doc that does for Doc Holliday what Hilary Mantel has done for Thomas Cromwell. Russell wrote a follow up book called Epitaph, which also covers the events in Tombstone, that I haven’t read yet and is supposed to be really good. I’ve also read and enjoyed the excellent books Doc Holliday: The Life and Legend by Gary L. Roberts and Wyatt Earp: The Life Behind the Legend by Casey Tefertiller.
See what I mean about the fascination?
There has been a plethora of riches on the subject of the Gunfight at the OK Corral. It shows the importance that historians have accorded to this event. I will end up reading all these books, but most of you probably won’t feel the need to tread the same ground numerous times, even if the perspectives are different. For me, the OK Corral and the events surrounding it are similar to Custer’s last stand, a source of endless speculation and new revelations.
Tom Clavin, in this book, takes us through the early history of the Tombstone area, from the conquistadors to the end of Wyatt Earp’s vengeful ride. If a few things had happened differently, Tombstone might have been as large as Tucson instead of a ghost town that has become a destination for tourists. Clavin does a great job clarifying some of the issues and situations that lead up to the gunfight. The Earps were in Tombstone to make money, and the last thing they really wanted to do was risk their lives taking on the Cowboy elements, but it became evident to them that they were at more risk continuing to let people like Ike and Billy Clanton and Frank and Tom McLaury shoot off their mouths about what they were intending to do to the Earps to anyone who would listen.
The Earps couldn’t abide it.
Wyatt Earp’s good friend from his Dodge City days, Bat Masterson, was in Tombstone to lend a helping hand. He received a telegram before October 26th warning him of a perilous situation involving his brother Jim. He’d already buried one brother in Dodge and didn’t want to bury another, and so he promptly left to go help his sibling. If there was one thing the Earps could understand, it was the importance of brotherly affection. It gives me chills though to think that, if Masterson had remained, he would have made that walk down the street to destiny with Wyatt, Virgil, Morgan, and Doc.
Clavin also paints a vivid picture of Johnny Behan, the sheriff of Tombstone, who told Virgil just before the gunfight that he’d disarmed the Clantons and the McLaurys. There was bad blood between Johnny and Wyatt. They desired the same woman, Josephine Marcus, AKA Sadie Mansfield. I’d like to say that Sadie was her stage name, but it was the identity she assumed when she was knocking boots with whatever man had the coin to pay for her time. She must have had that something something. I like the way Virgil’s wife Allie described her: ”Her charms were undeniable. She had a small, trim body and a meneo of the hips that kept her full, flounced skirts bouncing. Sadie was an attractive woman with thick, dark hair, vivid black eyes, and was well endowed.” How about Allie’s use of the word meneo?
Wyatt Earp biographer Stuart Lake wrote: ”Johnny Behan’s girl was the key to the whole yarn in Tombstone.” I don’t buy that, but there is no denying that her presence and the rivalry for her affection did add some spice to the conflict.
The problems between Earp and Behan were much more than just rivalry for the affections of a woman.
Wyatt had made a deal with Johnny regarding the race for sheriff. Wyatt, ever practical, had suggested that he would drop out of the race if Behan would make him his deputy. Behan won the election and promptly reneged on the agreement. It became one of those situations where anything the Earps were for Behan was against. Behan must have been one smooth talking son-of-a-bitch because he always managed to land on his feet and also made a habit out of fucking his friends’ wives. Screwing around with one friend’s wife is one thing, but when it becomes several it certainly indicates that Behan considered it a sport. If Behan had been a more trustworthy fellow, he could have stopped the gunfight well before it escalated into violence.
Virgil was the only official law officer involved in the gunfight, and Donald Chaput, in his biography of Virgil Earp, makes the case that Virgil should have been the most famous Earp. I would agree that Virgil does get short changed, and I think that, if Wyatt had been shot instead of Virgil, history would have anointed Virgil with a large part of the fame. Part of the mystique of Wyatt is that he was the only person in the Gunfight at the OK Corral to emerge unscathed. He was also the man, while Virgil was recovering from wounds received after the fight, who went on the vengeance trail to avenge the killing of his brother Morgan. There was a point where Wyatt and his “posse” were ambushed by Cowboys and Doc was sure that Wyatt had been cut to pieces, but all the bullets missed him. It was like something out of a Matrix movie. A heel was shot off his boot; his clothing was tattered with bullet holes, and his saddle horn had been shot off.
Newton is not pictured, and even though he is considered the quiet Earp, he was the first sheriff of Garden City, Kansas. Newton was the oldest, followed by James, Virgil, Wyatt, Morgan, and Warren was the youngest. They looked so much alike that people referred to them as peas in a pod.
There was just something larger than life about Wyatt Earp. All the Earp brothers, even those older than him, deferred to Wyatt. The Earps were in Tombstone because Wyatt asked them to come. I’ve always been fascinated with the bond these brothers shared. Their “wives” (the Earp version of marriage was whoever they were living with at the time) often felt excluded because they could never feel as close to their husbands as the brothers felt to each other. When the younger brother Morgan was shot in the back while playing pool and died, the situation in Tombstone went from dire to intolerable. Wyatt felt that the only justice for his brother existed outside the law.
Clavin does an excellent job laying out all the facts and discussing the myths. If you are looking for a starting point to learn about the Gunfight at the OK Corral, this is a great overview that also includes an expanded history of Tombstone itself. ”This is where a lifetime of trouble began.”
So strap yourself in, and know that, whatever book you choose to read about Tombstone, you are in for one helluva ride.
If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit http://www.jeffreykeeten.com
I also have a Facebook blogger page at:https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten and an Instagram account https://www.instagram.com/jeffreykeeten/
April 29, 2020
I received a free advance copy of this from NetGalley for review.
I will try to restrain myself and not include any quotes from the movie Tombstone in this review. It won’t be easy.
The interesting thing to me about the infamous gunfight near the O.K. Corral and its bloody aftermath is how the event has been subject to interpretation. Depending on which version of history you believe either several lawmen were valiantly standing up against a gang of criminals or a bunch of crooked officials used their badges to murder some innocent ranchers to seize control of a town.
Tom Clavin follows the most generally accepted facts and seems to have come down on the side of the Earps. While they were no angels and come to Tombstone seeking fortune, the Earps look like choir boys compared to the large numbers of rustlers, thieves, and killers who were driven west by the Texas Rangers who banded together in a loose affiliation in Arizona. Time after time the Earp brothers tried to do things according to the book only to be frustrated by how the cowboys and their pals like the corrupt Sheriff Behan skirted the law.
Clavin does a particularly nice job of giving the overall history of the area as well as the major and minor figures. He uses the facts to build a narrative that explains how the law, politics, business, crime, and the affections of one woman put the two sets of rivals on a collision course. While well researched it also hums along as a hell of a story so there’s no dry ole dusty history vibe to it.
However, while it’s interesting and well written, I also didn’t learn anything particularly new other than a few stray bits of trivia. I also think that Clavin does put a bit of romantic sheen to the Earps with Wyatt in particular coming across as the hero who first tries to do the right thing and then goes on a revenge rampage once his family was attacked following the gunfight. That’s the general perception these days, and again, there’s an argument to be made for that interpretation. On the other hand, while I think the Earps were in the right overall, I also think that this is a story that proves that even seemingly righteous violence has a way of coming back and biting you in the ass, and there's not much consideration of that idea in the book although there is one chapter about how the gunfight might have been avoided if things played out just a little differently. Clavin also tries to spin Wyatt’s ‘vendetta ride’ as an overall victory when in truth the whole thing kind of fizzled out with no big winners or losers. It seems like everybody just lost the stomach for it and went their separate ways eventually.
If you’re interested in the gunfight at the O.K. Corral this would be a great book to understand it. There’s no new real info in it, and Clavin definitely thinks Wyatt was the hero of the whole mess. Still, he provides a pretty fair and objective view of it while making the whole time and place come alive in his writing.
I will try to restrain myself and not include any quotes from the movie Tombstone in this review. It won’t be easy.
The interesting thing to me about the infamous gunfight near the O.K. Corral and its bloody aftermath is how the event has been subject to interpretation. Depending on which version of history you believe either several lawmen were valiantly standing up against a gang of criminals or a bunch of crooked officials used their badges to murder some innocent ranchers to seize control of a town.
Tom Clavin follows the most generally accepted facts and seems to have come down on the side of the Earps. While they were no angels and come to Tombstone seeking fortune, the Earps look like choir boys compared to the large numbers of rustlers, thieves, and killers who were driven west by the Texas Rangers who banded together in a loose affiliation in Arizona. Time after time the Earp brothers tried to do things according to the book only to be frustrated by how the cowboys and their pals like the corrupt Sheriff Behan skirted the law.
Clavin does a particularly nice job of giving the overall history of the area as well as the major and minor figures. He uses the facts to build a narrative that explains how the law, politics, business, crime, and the affections of one woman put the two sets of rivals on a collision course. While well researched it also hums along as a hell of a story so there’s no dry ole dusty history vibe to it.
However, while it’s interesting and well written, I also didn’t learn anything particularly new other than a few stray bits of trivia. I also think that Clavin does put a bit of romantic sheen to the Earps with Wyatt in particular coming across as the hero who first tries to do the right thing and then goes on a revenge rampage once his family was attacked following the gunfight. That’s the general perception these days, and again, there’s an argument to be made for that interpretation. On the other hand, while I think the Earps were in the right overall, I also think that this is a story that proves that even seemingly righteous violence has a way of coming back and biting you in the ass, and there's not much consideration of that idea in the book although there is one chapter about how the gunfight might have been avoided if things played out just a little differently. Clavin also tries to spin Wyatt’s ‘vendetta ride’ as an overall victory when in truth the whole thing kind of fizzled out with no big winners or losers. It seems like everybody just lost the stomach for it and went their separate ways eventually.
If you’re interested in the gunfight at the O.K. Corral this would be a great book to understand it. There’s no new real info in it, and Clavin definitely thinks Wyatt was the hero of the whole mess. Still, he provides a pretty fair and objective view of it while making the whole time and place come alive in his writing.
April 22, 2023
4.5 stars
"Years later, [former deputy marshal Wyatt Earp] would reflect on events during his two-plus years in Tombstone and say, 'This is where a lifetime of troubles began.'" -- from the prologue
Well, Mr. Earp and his clan would understandably consider the majority of their time residing in the town as 'trouble,' but for dedicated readers of U.S. history this was yet another winner from author Clavin. (Seriously, is there anything else in this world as dependable as an archival or biographical account composed by this man?) Somewhat like the 1993 film of the same name starring Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer - which I tend to think of as a modern-day classic, especially with Kilmer's crazily nuanced performance as dentist-turned-gambling gunslinger Doc Holliday - this non-fiction novel of sorts features a large cast of characters that populated the prospering but violent Arizona frontier community circa 1881. Clavin dives fairly deep into the backstories of the various lawmen, outlaws, politicos, and many other citizens who once strode the dusty streets and ran for cover - or stood their ground - when the hot lead started flying around the O.K. Corral. Strangely enough, that famed altercation (between the Earp brothers, accompanied by Holliday, and the Clanton/McLaury cattle rustling gang) is not the climax of this story, but occurs at roughly the midpoint. Clavin covers the saga from all sorts of angles, and again does it very well with his trademark agile style.
"Years later, [former deputy marshal Wyatt Earp] would reflect on events during his two-plus years in Tombstone and say, 'This is where a lifetime of troubles began.'" -- from the prologue
Well, Mr. Earp and his clan would understandably consider the majority of their time residing in the town as 'trouble,' but for dedicated readers of U.S. history this was yet another winner from author Clavin. (Seriously, is there anything else in this world as dependable as an archival or biographical account composed by this man?) Somewhat like the 1993 film of the same name starring Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer - which I tend to think of as a modern-day classic, especially with Kilmer's crazily nuanced performance as dentist-turned-gambling gunslinger Doc Holliday - this non-fiction novel of sorts features a large cast of characters that populated the prospering but violent Arizona frontier community circa 1881. Clavin dives fairly deep into the backstories of the various lawmen, outlaws, politicos, and many other citizens who once strode the dusty streets and ran for cover - or stood their ground - when the hot lead started flying around the O.K. Corral. Strangely enough, that famed altercation (between the Earp brothers, accompanied by Holliday, and the Clanton/McLaury cattle rustling gang) is not the climax of this story, but occurs at roughly the midpoint. Clavin covers the saga from all sorts of angles, and again does it very well with his trademark agile style.
January 5, 2020
It seems I’ve read some of Clavin’s work previously, but I’m not sure when. I do enjoy his writing though, especially here on this subject which is one of my favorites. He does a really good job of covering it and it brings you right to the thick of things. You are there in the heat of 1881 Tombstone, with the noise and commotion of the day, with all of the people there to do business or trying to hustle a stake in a mine somehow. Or simply to blow the dust off and drink some whiskey and gamble a bit in one of the saloons.
There are tensions afoot between the different factions setting off the problems, the Cowboys who are crooked and run around doing and taking what they like, while they work for different area ranchers like the Clantons and McLaurys and others. Then there are the Earps, one of whom has been threatened to back off and let the Cowboys be, but they aren't the type and since more Earps may getting into law enforcement, that’s not about to happen. There are other people around too, but you can’t always tell where they stand. Most folks just want to make good money and not get killed by various Indians roaming the territory. If you like Western US history you will likely enjoy this book, it’s a good long read. I learned quite a lot more about the different people involved, which was a big plus. Advance electronic review copy was provided by NetGalley, author Tom Clavin, and St. Martin's Press.
First published on my WordPress blog viewable here:
https://wordpress.com/post/bookblog20...
There are tensions afoot between the different factions setting off the problems, the Cowboys who are crooked and run around doing and taking what they like, while they work for different area ranchers like the Clantons and McLaurys and others. Then there are the Earps, one of whom has been threatened to back off and let the Cowboys be, but they aren't the type and since more Earps may getting into law enforcement, that’s not about to happen. There are other people around too, but you can’t always tell where they stand. Most folks just want to make good money and not get killed by various Indians roaming the territory. If you like Western US history you will likely enjoy this book, it’s a good long read. I learned quite a lot more about the different people involved, which was a big plus. Advance electronic review copy was provided by NetGalley, author Tom Clavin, and St. Martin's Press.
First published on my WordPress blog viewable here:
https://wordpress.com/post/bookblog20...
May 7, 2020
I never get tired of reading western non-fiction, even though sooo much has been written about the Earps and the OK Corral. Tom Clavin has done a pretty good job of research and has laid out the story of the gunfight very well indeed, including backgrounds of the principal characters involved in the shootout and all peripheral incidents that led up to and occurred as a result of those few deadly seconds in American history.
Most of this story will be familiar to any fan of the wild west, but there will probably be details here that are new to most readers. Clavin has kindly provided an Epilogue in which he follows up on many of the people involved, in most cases right to the coffin. He has also appended a superb bibliography which can be mined for more sources if the reader wants to absorb a bit more western flavour. It was nice to see photos of a nice size on glossy paper as well.
The only part where Mr Clavin had me shaking my head was on Page 335, when he is describing the shootout between the Earp posse and the Cowboys at Iron Springs. In referring to Wyatt's attempt to mount his horse, Clavin writes "...the shoehorn on his saddle was blown away...". I thought there must be some mistake but no, there it is further down the same page, when he refers to a "...missing shoehorn and boot heel". The relevance of the shoehorn puzzled me until it dawned on me that Mr Clavin apparently doesn't know the difference between a shoehorn and a saddle horn. No cowboy, he.
Overall, an entertaining read and highly recommended to those who like American history and the American west.
Most of this story will be familiar to any fan of the wild west, but there will probably be details here that are new to most readers. Clavin has kindly provided an Epilogue in which he follows up on many of the people involved, in most cases right to the coffin. He has also appended a superb bibliography which can be mined for more sources if the reader wants to absorb a bit more western flavour. It was nice to see photos of a nice size on glossy paper as well.
The only part where Mr Clavin had me shaking my head was on Page 335, when he is describing the shootout between the Earp posse and the Cowboys at Iron Springs. In referring to Wyatt's attempt to mount his horse, Clavin writes "...the shoehorn on his saddle was blown away...". I thought there must be some mistake but no, there it is further down the same page, when he refers to a "...missing shoehorn and boot heel". The relevance of the shoehorn puzzled me until it dawned on me that Mr Clavin apparently doesn't know the difference between a shoehorn and a saddle horn. No cowboy, he.
Overall, an entertaining read and highly recommended to those who like American history and the American west.
June 12, 2020
The only thing I knew from the famous gunfight at the O.K. Corral was from an episode on the Star Trek television series. Kirk,Spock,McCoy and Checkov played the the Clantons and McLaurys. Obviously, these were the good guys. The Earps and Doc Holliday were the alien bad guys. Like Star Trek, the story of who was who is fiction.
In the late 1800s being labeled a cowboy was not a complement. They were known for stealing cattle from Mexican and American ranches. They would rebrand the cattle and sell them off at a very nice profit. When they weren’t rustling cattle, the cowboys would go into town drinking, gambling and shooting. The Clanton and McLaury brothers fell into this category.
On the other hand the Earps were law abiding citizens. Virgil was a deputy U.S. Marshal. Wyatt was a deputy marshal in Tombstone, Arizona. Morgan was a special policeman for Tombstone, Arizona.
And then there was John Henry “Doc” Holliday. He was a loyal friend of Wyatts. Doc was a dentist, thus the nickname. He never really practiced his profession. His real occupation was gambling. His hobbies were drinking and shooting people. Luckily he was a very poor shot
Anyways things came to a head at the O.K. Corral one October day. The end result was the two McLaury brothers and one Clanton brother were killed. The Earps and Doc came away from the gunfight unscathed.
However, this was not the end of the story. The cowboys sought revenge on the Earps for killing the McLaury brothers and Clanton. These outlaws killed Morgan and maimed Virgil Earp. Wyatt sought revenge and set up a posse to seek revenge. He and posse were semi-successful.
The only issue I had with the author was writing about minor characters which had nothing to do with the main story. That is why I gave he book four stars.
In the late 1800s being labeled a cowboy was not a complement. They were known for stealing cattle from Mexican and American ranches. They would rebrand the cattle and sell them off at a very nice profit. When they weren’t rustling cattle, the cowboys would go into town drinking, gambling and shooting. The Clanton and McLaury brothers fell into this category.
On the other hand the Earps were law abiding citizens. Virgil was a deputy U.S. Marshal. Wyatt was a deputy marshal in Tombstone, Arizona. Morgan was a special policeman for Tombstone, Arizona.
And then there was John Henry “Doc” Holliday. He was a loyal friend of Wyatts. Doc was a dentist, thus the nickname. He never really practiced his profession. His real occupation was gambling. His hobbies were drinking and shooting people. Luckily he was a very poor shot
Anyways things came to a head at the O.K. Corral one October day. The end result was the two McLaury brothers and one Clanton brother were killed. The Earps and Doc came away from the gunfight unscathed.
However, this was not the end of the story. The cowboys sought revenge on the Earps for killing the McLaury brothers and Clanton. These outlaws killed Morgan and maimed Virgil Earp. Wyatt sought revenge and set up a posse to seek revenge. He and posse were semi-successful.
The only issue I had with the author was writing about minor characters which had nothing to do with the main story. That is why I gave he book four stars.
March 24, 2020
I just had a wonderful escape into the old west, courtesy of author Tom Clavin. His newest non-fiction gives a detailed look into Tombstone, Arizona and all the people who contributed to the stories that made it one of the most famous towns in the West.
I’m not going to lie—there are a lot of names dropped in this book, but they all have a reason to be included. And there are quite a few footnotes. Normally, I’m not that interested in the footnotes, but the ones included in the book were just as interesting as the book itself.
Clavin also makes quite a few references to other books pertaining to the subject and I loved this! I have read a few that were mentioned, but I was also able to add a few titles to my out-of-control TBR list.
The relationships within the Earp family were very interesting. Clavin includes a bit of family history in the beginning of the book and later there is more information about the brothers and their close relationship as well as what happened to them after leaving Tombstone.
The politics of the day were also at play in creating the combustive atmosphere that led to battle at the OK Corral and the retribution that occurred afterwards. In a nutshell, the west was going through many changes during those days and people were on the move trying to seek a fortune in any way possible, legal or not.
Readers who love westerns and history will not want to miss this one! It’s also a great choice to get out of your comfort zone if you aren’t a non-fiction reader. I loved it and highly recommend it to readers.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read an advance copy and give my honest review.
I’m not going to lie—there are a lot of names dropped in this book, but they all have a reason to be included. And there are quite a few footnotes. Normally, I’m not that interested in the footnotes, but the ones included in the book were just as interesting as the book itself.
Clavin also makes quite a few references to other books pertaining to the subject and I loved this! I have read a few that were mentioned, but I was also able to add a few titles to my out-of-control TBR list.
The relationships within the Earp family were very interesting. Clavin includes a bit of family history in the beginning of the book and later there is more information about the brothers and their close relationship as well as what happened to them after leaving Tombstone.
The politics of the day were also at play in creating the combustive atmosphere that led to battle at the OK Corral and the retribution that occurred afterwards. In a nutshell, the west was going through many changes during those days and people were on the move trying to seek a fortune in any way possible, legal or not.
Readers who love westerns and history will not want to miss this one! It’s also a great choice to get out of your comfort zone if you aren’t a non-fiction reader. I loved it and highly recommend it to readers.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read an advance copy and give my honest review.
October 19, 2019
Superb new book by Tom Clavin. Here he completes his trilogy of books about some of the biggest names in the West. First there was Dodge City dealing a lot with Bat Masterson, from there it was Wild Bill and the exploits of Wild Bill Hickock, and now we have the most well known of the group Tombstone and the epic clash between the Earps and the Cowboys. Most books that deal with this topic tend to come at the event as either pro-Earp or anti-Earp or pro-Cowboys. Here Clavin gives us a vivid look at the creation of the town of Tombstone, along with mini-biographies of so many of the characters and then the eventual Gunfight at OK Corral. We learn about Indian raids led by Geronimo and others prior to the gunfight, fires that almost burned down the town, rustling and Cowboy raids into Mexico and a very straight forward telling of the gunfight that is gleaned through a voluminous bibliography of books, newspaper, diaries etc. Unfortunately, many of todays youths have no idea of these individuals, but for those of us who are lovers of American History this book fills in certain gaps in knowledge, as well as giving us so many new facts I never was aware of, such as Cowboy Curly Bill Brosius actually being a tax collector appointed by Sheriff John Behan. There have been 3 major movies about this gunfight (My Darling Clementine, The Gunfight at OK Corral & Tombstone) but none of then really get the facts straight. However, it is true that Doc Holliday said to Johnny Ringo "I'm your Huckleberry" just not in the dramatic scene as portrayed in Tombstone.
Just a super book, a fast read, and when it is all over you will have a much better understanding of the Gunfight at OK Corral as well as the town of Tombstone!
Just a super book, a fast read, and when it is all over you will have a much better understanding of the Gunfight at OK Corral as well as the town of Tombstone!
December 13, 2025
I’ll start with a bit of self-discovery: somewhere in the middle of Tombstone, I realized something about myself. When it comes to Westerns, I tend to side with the Native Americans—and I don’t have much affection for the cowboys. That realization made this book a bit of a slog for me.
To be clear, this is not a poorly written book. Tom Clavin is a professional historian and storyteller, and that shows. As always, his research is thorough, the narrative is clear, and the historical detail is solid. Tombstone delivers exactly what it promises: a detailed account of the Wild West, centered on the famous Earp brothers, Doc Holliday, the so-called Cowboys, the legendary gunfight at the O.K. Corral, and the brutal “revenge ride” that followed.
The problem—for me—is the subject matter. While Clavin does an admirable job chronicling the men who helped “tame” the frontier, I found myself disengaged from the story and its characters. The familiar mythmaking around lawmen and outlaws just doesn’t hold my interest the way other historical narratives do.
I’ve greatly enjoyed Clavin’s WWII books, where his storytelling really shines and the moral stakes feel sharper and more compelling. Unfortunately, his Wild West histories don’t resonate with me in the same way. This one took effort to finish.
That said, readers who love Western history, frontier justice, and the legends of Tombstone will likely find a lot to admire here. It just wasn’t my kind of history. If you dig a western, this is for you. If you don’t…go team Indian!
To be clear, this is not a poorly written book. Tom Clavin is a professional historian and storyteller, and that shows. As always, his research is thorough, the narrative is clear, and the historical detail is solid. Tombstone delivers exactly what it promises: a detailed account of the Wild West, centered on the famous Earp brothers, Doc Holliday, the so-called Cowboys, the legendary gunfight at the O.K. Corral, and the brutal “revenge ride” that followed.
The problem—for me—is the subject matter. While Clavin does an admirable job chronicling the men who helped “tame” the frontier, I found myself disengaged from the story and its characters. The familiar mythmaking around lawmen and outlaws just doesn’t hold my interest the way other historical narratives do.
I’ve greatly enjoyed Clavin’s WWII books, where his storytelling really shines and the moral stakes feel sharper and more compelling. Unfortunately, his Wild West histories don’t resonate with me in the same way. This one took effort to finish.
That said, readers who love Western history, frontier justice, and the legends of Tombstone will likely find a lot to admire here. It just wasn’t my kind of history. If you dig a western, this is for you. If you don’t…go team Indian!
April 1, 2021
Considering how good Clavin's books on Wild Bill and Dodge City were, I wanted to like this a lot. Unfortunately, the first half consists largely of quotes from other works, and by the time the bullets started flying in Tombstone I was well on my way to losing interest. The second half of the book redeems it a bit, but this is strikingly flawed.
April 23, 2020
Very well written and well researched, I was surprised at how accurate the movie Tombstone was.
April 11, 2020
I have read several historical books by Tom Clavin and he never disappoints. I am an amateur history buff and my husband is a big fan of westerns. So, Tom Clavin books are rapidly populating our shelf of Wild West era history books. While I enjoyed my digital advanced copy of this newest book, I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of our pre-ordered hardback copy! This book deserves a re-read after my husband finishes reading it!
Tombstone. The Earps. Doc Holliday. The Clantons. The famous gunfight that occurred in 1881 in Tombstone has been immortalized in so many ways....and most of the stories are based around the legends grown up around the characters involved. Bigger than life characters. But....in reality....those involved were not characters, but real life people. This is a real event.....and Tom Clavin digs past the legends and folklore to get at the real event. What actually happened that fateful day and what is the truth about the aftermath.
For me, this book was pure gold. I love reading about this era of history. And Clavin, as usual, goes into awesome detail. I always feel like a Clavin book is as close as I can get to meeting real historical figures short of inventing a working time machine. :) I enjoyed every bit of this book, and learned facts that I didn't previously know. I love it when an author teaches me something new on a subject in which I felt "well read.'' It reminds me that there is always more to learn!!
I can't wait for my husband to get his copy....I'm anxious to compare notes on parts of the book I found most interesting. We always have the best discussions about history after reading a Clavin book!
**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from St Martin's Press. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
Tombstone. The Earps. Doc Holliday. The Clantons. The famous gunfight that occurred in 1881 in Tombstone has been immortalized in so many ways....and most of the stories are based around the legends grown up around the characters involved. Bigger than life characters. But....in reality....those involved were not characters, but real life people. This is a real event.....and Tom Clavin digs past the legends and folklore to get at the real event. What actually happened that fateful day and what is the truth about the aftermath.
For me, this book was pure gold. I love reading about this era of history. And Clavin, as usual, goes into awesome detail. I always feel like a Clavin book is as close as I can get to meeting real historical figures short of inventing a working time machine. :) I enjoyed every bit of this book, and learned facts that I didn't previously know. I love it when an author teaches me something new on a subject in which I felt "well read.'' It reminds me that there is always more to learn!!
I can't wait for my husband to get his copy....I'm anxious to compare notes on parts of the book I found most interesting. We always have the best discussions about history after reading a Clavin book!
**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from St Martin's Press. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
December 29, 2019
Having lived in Arizona and visited Tombstone a few times, I was curious to read the book by author Tom Clavin. I have viewed the movies and read other books, most of them romanticized and some others clouded by the passage of time. I am happy to report that this version of “Tombstone” is neither of those.
Mr. Clavin lists an extensive bibliography, well over a year’s reading of different books and magazine articles, eliminating the thought that this was simply another book cobbled together on the strength of merely a few resources. I personally appreciated the listing of books, and plan to investigate some of the personages not followed as closely as the Earps and Doc Holliday (think Johnny Ringo or Josephine Marcus Earp), as well as reading a few topic offerings (“The Dragon Mountains” and “Famous Firearms of the Old West,” for example).
Most impressive is the gathering of knowledge into a cohesive read that feels more like sitting around a pot-bellied stove in an old general store as the author relates the different lives of people who were part of Tombstone. Mr. Clavin ensures the story does not sound like a historical textbook, filling the pages with interesting facts and including enough personal details that breath life into the characters. He not only tells the main story, but includes the background of how everyone ended up in Tombstone. This includes the tales of the Earps’ parents and the founder of Tombstone, as well as secondary and minor residents of the town. The last chapter covers all these people and what happened to them after the Gunfight, the ensuing trial, and Wyatt Earp’s vendetta to ensure his own style of justice was satisfied.
I also enjoyed the footnotes, where Mr. Clavin would insert a factoid that, while not important to the story he might be telling at that time, still provided interesting background and worth the time to read. Anyone interested in America’s Old West or The Gunfight at the OK Corral will find this to be a great addition to your bookshelf. Five stars.
My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance electronic copy of this book.
Mr. Clavin lists an extensive bibliography, well over a year’s reading of different books and magazine articles, eliminating the thought that this was simply another book cobbled together on the strength of merely a few resources. I personally appreciated the listing of books, and plan to investigate some of the personages not followed as closely as the Earps and Doc Holliday (think Johnny Ringo or Josephine Marcus Earp), as well as reading a few topic offerings (“The Dragon Mountains” and “Famous Firearms of the Old West,” for example).
Most impressive is the gathering of knowledge into a cohesive read that feels more like sitting around a pot-bellied stove in an old general store as the author relates the different lives of people who were part of Tombstone. Mr. Clavin ensures the story does not sound like a historical textbook, filling the pages with interesting facts and including enough personal details that breath life into the characters. He not only tells the main story, but includes the background of how everyone ended up in Tombstone. This includes the tales of the Earps’ parents and the founder of Tombstone, as well as secondary and minor residents of the town. The last chapter covers all these people and what happened to them after the Gunfight, the ensuing trial, and Wyatt Earp’s vendetta to ensure his own style of justice was satisfied.
I also enjoyed the footnotes, where Mr. Clavin would insert a factoid that, while not important to the story he might be telling at that time, still provided interesting background and worth the time to read. Anyone interested in America’s Old West or The Gunfight at the OK Corral will find this to be a great addition to your bookshelf. Five stars.
My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance electronic copy of this book.
March 20, 2020
I have always been interested in Wyatt Earp and other true western stories. . Books about the Old West, Wyatt Earp and other gunslingers have always been of interest to me.. Tom Clavin brought the Old West to life and I appreciate the chance to have been able to read this Advanced Reader Copy. 4.5 stars!
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this book!
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this book!
April 18, 2020
I have been fascinated with Westerns for a long time. I used to pretend when I was younger that I was an female outlaw like Belle Starr. Who was a notorious American outlaw. Belle was associated with the James–Younger Gang. I have watched the Tombstone movie with Kurt Russell and when I was younger; my family and I took a trip to Tombstone, Arizona. We visited the sites. Living in Colorado, I have visited all of the sites that Doc Holiday occupied as well. Therefore, I was looking forward to reading this book.
Yes, there have been many books, movies, and such on Tombstone and the Earp Brothers but what author, Tom Clavin does with this book will still fascinate fans and readers alike. I got a in-depth well researched history lesson. Yet, it was more like an "insider" look. I wanted to point out the "footnotes". I really like when the "footnotes" are located at the bottom of the pages and not at the back of the book. This way I don't have to stop reading to flip to the back of the book to read the "footnote". Which to be honest, when the book is laid out like this, I don't usually go and read the "footnotes". However, when they are at the bottom of the page in which I am reading, I will read them and learn intriguing facts. Also, I will go back and re-read the section I just read with better appreciation.
Readers of Westerns or nonfiction will be thrilled with this book. You may even learn a few new facts. Author, Tom Clavin ropes me in with this book.
Yes, there have been many books, movies, and such on Tombstone and the Earp Brothers but what author, Tom Clavin does with this book will still fascinate fans and readers alike. I got a in-depth well researched history lesson. Yet, it was more like an "insider" look. I wanted to point out the "footnotes". I really like when the "footnotes" are located at the bottom of the pages and not at the back of the book. This way I don't have to stop reading to flip to the back of the book to read the "footnote". Which to be honest, when the book is laid out like this, I don't usually go and read the "footnotes". However, when they are at the bottom of the page in which I am reading, I will read them and learn intriguing facts. Also, I will go back and re-read the section I just read with better appreciation.
Readers of Westerns or nonfiction will be thrilled with this book. You may even learn a few new facts. Author, Tom Clavin ropes me in with this book.
September 26, 2020
Tombstone turns years of Hollywood movies on their collective heads, laying down the true story of how bad temper, pride and testosterone can make a few disorderly drunks and cattle rustlers go up against deadly, gun slinging lawmen. We all know how this story turns out - it's just the getting there that may surprise you. Extremely well written and anything but dry. Loved it.
September 8, 2021
Liked this book. Detailed description of the history and settling of the town, Tombstone with bios of many of the community leaders/founders, then went into the history/early life of the Earp brothers. How they ended up in Tombstone. And the fact they were no angels.
The book also did a great job of including the women involved, their backgrounds, many times providing the money to support the families, many times wanting to be a respectable wives, but in fact living with the men the love, but not accepted as an official wife. The Earps generally went through many women/relationships.
Then went into the history of the “Cowboys” a very derogatory term for the times as most “respectable” folk around there were town merchants or in mining. The Cowboys were generally known for rustling cattle and violence. Many got their cattle from nearby Mexico.
Then the book starts down the road of the tensions/build up between the Earps and the Cowboys. Interesting politics around law enforcement positions/elections and deputizing everyone on your side.
The actual gunfight was a very small segment of the book, but the build up and aftermath was very detailed and amazing. The revenge of the Earps, the various posse attempts, vendettas and politics around those, the judges, the trials. Pretty amazing. Great follow-up on all the main players’ later life and their ends.
I liked this book a lot. Enjoyable read.
The book also did a great job of including the women involved, their backgrounds, many times providing the money to support the families, many times wanting to be a respectable wives, but in fact living with the men the love, but not accepted as an official wife. The Earps generally went through many women/relationships.
Then went into the history of the “Cowboys” a very derogatory term for the times as most “respectable” folk around there were town merchants or in mining. The Cowboys were generally known for rustling cattle and violence. Many got their cattle from nearby Mexico.
Then the book starts down the road of the tensions/build up between the Earps and the Cowboys. Interesting politics around law enforcement positions/elections and deputizing everyone on your side.
The actual gunfight was a very small segment of the book, but the build up and aftermath was very detailed and amazing. The revenge of the Earps, the various posse attempts, vendettas and politics around those, the judges, the trials. Pretty amazing. Great follow-up on all the main players’ later life and their ends.
I liked this book a lot. Enjoyable read.
October 21, 2019
While the jump in timeline was a bit unsettling at first, I eventually settled into it. This book, as are all the others from this other, was interesting, enlightening and informative. He brought the characters to life in ways that no other author can for me. I learned so much...like Doc Holliday was originally a dentist! I had no idea!
Anyway, a great book. This is one to buy for any true Western fan or collector.
Anyway, a great book. This is one to buy for any true Western fan or collector.
August 28, 2019
If you thought you knew the story of Tombstone, then you need to step back and rethink everything!
I read through this book in one sitting! It was fabulous! The amount of detail, backstories, history, and timelines all come together to paint a vivid portrait of the incidents and factors that led up to the famous shootout. The Earp brothers, Doc Holliday, and more are given extensive viewage here, and you can get a deeper look into motives, thought processes and more of each of the main players (and some of the minor players).
Now that I am finished with the book, I am going to sit back and turn on John Wayne's "Chisum" (yes, this features in the book, not a random thought) as I was not aware before now that it was based on a real person, real story, and so much more - (like, for real, I have a masters in history, and this never came up!? I am rather disappointed as most of my professors knew of my love of John Wayne...)
Get this on your to read list now, pre-order it, and prepare to have your mind blown!
I read through this book in one sitting! It was fabulous! The amount of detail, backstories, history, and timelines all come together to paint a vivid portrait of the incidents and factors that led up to the famous shootout. The Earp brothers, Doc Holliday, and more are given extensive viewage here, and you can get a deeper look into motives, thought processes and more of each of the main players (and some of the minor players).
Now that I am finished with the book, I am going to sit back and turn on John Wayne's "Chisum" (yes, this features in the book, not a random thought) as I was not aware before now that it was based on a real person, real story, and so much more - (like, for real, I have a masters in history, and this never came up!? I am rather disappointed as most of my professors knew of my love of John Wayne...)
Get this on your to read list now, pre-order it, and prepare to have your mind blown!
December 14, 2019
I had a few starts and stops with this book as the beginning is a lot of characters (many I had never heard of) and a lot of detail. Probably necessary to set the stage and help the reader have a more fully developed understanding, not just based on movies, of the people and circumstances that led up to the gunfight. It is clear that the author spent a long time researching not just the gunfight but the culture and secondary events that impacted the pivotal characters. Even after getting through the first 100 or so pages, I did a lot of skimming looking for the most interesting bits of the story. Ultimately this is a good book that requires a bit of dedication to complete.
July 3, 2020
The American Wild West is forever symbolized in the iconic image of the Earp brothers and Doc Holliday facing down the Clantons and McLaurys at the O.K. Corral in the windswept town of Tombstone in October 1881. It is a well-tread story that never seems to lose its fascinating appeal in its simple American charms: the good guys take on the bad guys, and the bad guys take it on the chin. With 30 shots in just as many seconds, the showdown signaled something far more significant than a grudge match between surly cowboys and testy lawmen, according to a new book.
In Tombstone: The Earp Brothers, Doc Holliday, and the Vendetta Ride from Hell, best-selling author and Western historian Tom Clavin pens a fitting conclusion to his self-described “Frontier Lawmen” trilogy. His previous two volumes, Dodge City: Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, and the Wickedest Town in the American West and last year’s Wild Bill: The True Story of the American Frontier’s First Gunfighter, document in engaging detail the American frontier, its first gunfighters, and the lawmen who tried to tame the Wild West’s worst. In this coda, the author posits that the past and the future of the American West itself were on the line in Tombstone, going so far as to compare the events to Greek tragedy. As Clavin puts it:
I realized that the so-called Gunfight at the O.K. Corral and the Earp ‘vendetta ride’ are our Iliad and Odyssey, two separate but connected events that are big parts of the foundation of our mythology.
The history of Tombstone, the gunfight, and the vendetta ride have all been glorified in books and movies over the past century, but perhaps it has not been told this personally before. In Tombstone, Clavin seeks “to tell my version of the Tombstone story, to have it refracted through my lens,” and to “gain a sense of completion” with his other books. Weighing in at a sturdy 400 pages, Tombstone tells a big story and tells it well. Replete with a rich repertoire of colorful characters, Clavin skillfully weaves multiple storylines into a taut thread that reaches its breaking point in late October 1881.
At the forefront of the story, of course, are the inimitable Earps. Clavin is his most entertaining when exploring the Earp family history and discussing the brothers’ interesting habit of not marrying their lady companions. Another fun fact: there were five Earp brothers (and one half-brother): Newton, James, Virgil, Wyatt, Morgan, and Warren. Warren and James often backed up their brothers when it came to “lawing” in the rough and tumble town. We also come to know the rogue’s gallery of misfits known simply as “the cowboys”: Ike and Billy Clanton, Frank and Tom McLaury, Curly Bill Brocius, Johnny Ringo, and countless others who fell in with the cowboys’ rustling and stagecoach robbing perfidies.
A refreshing aspect of Tombstone is the experience of the women who were impacted by the events just as much as the men. Through primary source material, Clavin introduces us to an eclectic and fiery set of women who threw their lot in with the Earps and Doc Holliday, as well as the female citizens of Tombstone longing for peace. Clavin shares the memories of Allie and Mattie Earp (Virgil’s and Wyatt’s common law wives), “Big Nose Kate” Elder (Holliday’s on again/off again relationship), and Clara Spalding Brown, a journalist whose letters describing her experiences living in Tombstone from 1880 to 1882 were published regularly in the San Diego Union newspaper.
Whereas Dodge City symbolized the Wild West and the fabled gunfighter at its apex, then Tombstone, indeed, represented its epitaph. A curtain was dropping on an old way of life as one lifted on a new day, illuminated by the introduction of electricity in 1881, as well as the novelty of hot and cold running water in some of the hotels. The gunfight at the O.K. Corral was merely the first death spasm of the old way, the wild way. After Morgan Earp’s retributive murder by the cowboys, Wyatt set out on his odyssey of vengeance, as Clavin calls it. When the last cowboy met final justice at Wyatt’s hands, a stillness seemed to descend on the American West.
Tombstone is a rousing tale of American Wild West mythology recounted by a raconteur par excellence. For those who enjoyed Dodge City and Wild Bill, Tom Clavin’s latest is a must for your bookshelf.
In Tombstone: The Earp Brothers, Doc Holliday, and the Vendetta Ride from Hell, best-selling author and Western historian Tom Clavin pens a fitting conclusion to his self-described “Frontier Lawmen” trilogy. His previous two volumes, Dodge City: Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, and the Wickedest Town in the American West and last year’s Wild Bill: The True Story of the American Frontier’s First Gunfighter, document in engaging detail the American frontier, its first gunfighters, and the lawmen who tried to tame the Wild West’s worst. In this coda, the author posits that the past and the future of the American West itself were on the line in Tombstone, going so far as to compare the events to Greek tragedy. As Clavin puts it:
I realized that the so-called Gunfight at the O.K. Corral and the Earp ‘vendetta ride’ are our Iliad and Odyssey, two separate but connected events that are big parts of the foundation of our mythology.
The history of Tombstone, the gunfight, and the vendetta ride have all been glorified in books and movies over the past century, but perhaps it has not been told this personally before. In Tombstone, Clavin seeks “to tell my version of the Tombstone story, to have it refracted through my lens,” and to “gain a sense of completion” with his other books. Weighing in at a sturdy 400 pages, Tombstone tells a big story and tells it well. Replete with a rich repertoire of colorful characters, Clavin skillfully weaves multiple storylines into a taut thread that reaches its breaking point in late October 1881.
At the forefront of the story, of course, are the inimitable Earps. Clavin is his most entertaining when exploring the Earp family history and discussing the brothers’ interesting habit of not marrying their lady companions. Another fun fact: there were five Earp brothers (and one half-brother): Newton, James, Virgil, Wyatt, Morgan, and Warren. Warren and James often backed up their brothers when it came to “lawing” in the rough and tumble town. We also come to know the rogue’s gallery of misfits known simply as “the cowboys”: Ike and Billy Clanton, Frank and Tom McLaury, Curly Bill Brocius, Johnny Ringo, and countless others who fell in with the cowboys’ rustling and stagecoach robbing perfidies.
A refreshing aspect of Tombstone is the experience of the women who were impacted by the events just as much as the men. Through primary source material, Clavin introduces us to an eclectic and fiery set of women who threw their lot in with the Earps and Doc Holliday, as well as the female citizens of Tombstone longing for peace. Clavin shares the memories of Allie and Mattie Earp (Virgil’s and Wyatt’s common law wives), “Big Nose Kate” Elder (Holliday’s on again/off again relationship), and Clara Spalding Brown, a journalist whose letters describing her experiences living in Tombstone from 1880 to 1882 were published regularly in the San Diego Union newspaper.
Whereas Dodge City symbolized the Wild West and the fabled gunfighter at its apex, then Tombstone, indeed, represented its epitaph. A curtain was dropping on an old way of life as one lifted on a new day, illuminated by the introduction of electricity in 1881, as well as the novelty of hot and cold running water in some of the hotels. The gunfight at the O.K. Corral was merely the first death spasm of the old way, the wild way. After Morgan Earp’s retributive murder by the cowboys, Wyatt set out on his odyssey of vengeance, as Clavin calls it. When the last cowboy met final justice at Wyatt’s hands, a stillness seemed to descend on the American West.
Tombstone is a rousing tale of American Wild West mythology recounted by a raconteur par excellence. For those who enjoyed Dodge City and Wild Bill, Tom Clavin’s latest is a must for your bookshelf.
April 20, 2020
Tom Clavin is, above all, an excellent writer. A book of history, no matter how interesting the subject, is of little use if it is dry and boring. Make no mistake, this is a properly foot-noted (and I always read every footnote), well-researched work of scholarship in which the writing flows, carrying the reader along with it. It was a pleasure to read.
The story of Tombstone, the Earps, Doc Holliday and the legendary shoot out at the OK Corral is well known, but not well understood. Too many untrue tales, too many movie dramatizations, too many people who had agendas other than the truth have obscured what exactly happened in October 1881, and its aftermath. In “Tombstone” Clavin cuts through the clutter allowing us to see and understand what has become a seminal event in American history.
One of the things I really appreciated about this book was Clavin’s explanation of how the rumors about the Earps’, especially Wyatt’s, involvement with the outlaw cowboys got started. For more than a hundred years there has been unfounded speculation that the Earps had, to one extent or another, thrown in with the criminal gang(s) known as the cowboys. Clavin shows convincingly that the Earps were on the side of law and order, and that what has been made to look like corruption was in fact merely politics.
I am not going to rehash the meat of “Tombstone.” You will want to read that for yourself. I will say that Clavin’s account of the various personalities is extremely interesting, and he doesn’t pull any punches. Josephine Marcus’ time as a prostitute is not glossed over, nor are the men’s characters. The footnotes, and I am a footnote junkie, are excellent.
I heartily recommend “Tombstone.” It is a complete look at the events which transpired there; how the various actors in the story got to Tombstone, what they did, and why, and Wyatt and Doc’s hunt for the malefactors afterwards. If you have any interest in the period at all, this is the book for you.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. The opinions are my own.
The story of Tombstone, the Earps, Doc Holliday and the legendary shoot out at the OK Corral is well known, but not well understood. Too many untrue tales, too many movie dramatizations, too many people who had agendas other than the truth have obscured what exactly happened in October 1881, and its aftermath. In “Tombstone” Clavin cuts through the clutter allowing us to see and understand what has become a seminal event in American history.
One of the things I really appreciated about this book was Clavin’s explanation of how the rumors about the Earps’, especially Wyatt’s, involvement with the outlaw cowboys got started. For more than a hundred years there has been unfounded speculation that the Earps had, to one extent or another, thrown in with the criminal gang(s) known as the cowboys. Clavin shows convincingly that the Earps were on the side of law and order, and that what has been made to look like corruption was in fact merely politics.
I am not going to rehash the meat of “Tombstone.” You will want to read that for yourself. I will say that Clavin’s account of the various personalities is extremely interesting, and he doesn’t pull any punches. Josephine Marcus’ time as a prostitute is not glossed over, nor are the men’s characters. The footnotes, and I am a footnote junkie, are excellent.
I heartily recommend “Tombstone.” It is a complete look at the events which transpired there; how the various actors in the story got to Tombstone, what they did, and why, and Wyatt and Doc’s hunt for the malefactors afterwards. If you have any interest in the period at all, this is the book for you.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. The opinions are my own.
September 14, 2020
Pretty dreadful book. The author pummels you into a near information overload coma with his extreme and (admittedly) thorough research of every character, major or inconsequential, in the book. And he repulsively inserts himself into the book on several occasions as on page 241 where he attempts to temporarily interrupt one storyline with another by saying THIS: “But if readers will indulge their humble author, let’s pause for a couple of pages.” WHO DOES THAT?!? As my daughter said when I showed her that passage, “Gross”. I’ve rarely given a rating this low, especially on books about the old west, which is a subject/genre that I love. The only other one that I rated this low was “The Heart of Everything That Is”...which was about Red Cloud’s war against the U.S. And you know what I forgot about THAT book and which I just now went back and figured out...? Clavin helped to write that one, too! I will admit that, at least in the world of Goodreads, my opinion of these two books is the minority view, as most others have rated both at about 4 on the 5 scale, but I’m glad to find that I’m at least consistent in what strikes me as reading that’s not enjoyable.
August 17, 2020
I'm sure my review of this book is jaded by my love of one of the most quotable movies of all time. I took a little bit to get into the book, it started out almost a little too academic for what I was looking for, but once I settled in I had a hard time putting it down. Are there any earth-shattering revelations in this book? Not really, but if you're a fan of the movie (which the author does give some nods too) and have a crush on Doc Holliday (or is that just me), and just want to read entertaining books about this subject, I recommend this book.
August 31, 2020
Author Tom Clavin weaves a rich tapestry of the Old West. The characters are made more real by the addition of details gleaned from newspaper articles, biographies and other sources. Clavin reveals a story far more complicated and interesting than anything television or a movie could portray. The story flows well and held this reader's interest from cover to cover.It's a page turner that includes a great deal of information concerning life in the Old West.
February 2, 2021
Probably the most comprehensive account of the events leading up to the shootout at the OK Corral, as well as the immediate aftermath.
Highly recommended for western history buffs.
Highly recommended for western history buffs.
May 1, 2020
The author first sets you up with the history of how the town got its name who the mining came into existence, the men associated with the mine how much they were able to pull out of it and what happened to those men. You are then given the history of the Claytons and how the settled in Arizona and then how they would end up into cattle rustling and other illegal activities.
You are given a history of the Earp family from the marriages, births the different places that they would live and then how the brothers would be together they’re in Tombstone. You are given a look into the different activities that the cowboys were into robbing the different stages coming through besides the cattle rustling and their rides into Mexico. The author sets the stage with all of the players when Doc is in town that leads up to what would be the gunfight.
Once you are there and taken through the fight it is quick and over. Also, within a short span news reports are out of the shot out, and then the tide switches on the Earp’s. Arrested you are taken through their trail when they are released but then months later two brothers would be gunned down in cold blood. One would lose the use of his arm, the other brother killed playing pool. When a trial was held but the men are set free this is when Wyatt goes on his so-called vendetta ride. You are taken through that ride and the events that happened all the up to when after the last shoot out when Wyatt was not hit but his jacket was full of holes he just rides away. He then shows up a few more times where he eventually makes it to Hollywood where he works until his death. Though you may know the story and most of the facts this is still a fascinating story of greed, politics, newspapers working at swaying the perception one way or the other. Overall a good book. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 4 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com
You are given a history of the Earp family from the marriages, births the different places that they would live and then how the brothers would be together they’re in Tombstone. You are given a look into the different activities that the cowboys were into robbing the different stages coming through besides the cattle rustling and their rides into Mexico. The author sets the stage with all of the players when Doc is in town that leads up to what would be the gunfight.
Once you are there and taken through the fight it is quick and over. Also, within a short span news reports are out of the shot out, and then the tide switches on the Earp’s. Arrested you are taken through their trail when they are released but then months later two brothers would be gunned down in cold blood. One would lose the use of his arm, the other brother killed playing pool. When a trial was held but the men are set free this is when Wyatt goes on his so-called vendetta ride. You are taken through that ride and the events that happened all the up to when after the last shoot out when Wyatt was not hit but his jacket was full of holes he just rides away. He then shows up a few more times where he eventually makes it to Hollywood where he works until his death. Though you may know the story and most of the facts this is still a fascinating story of greed, politics, newspapers working at swaying the perception one way or the other. Overall a good book. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 4 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com
May 1, 2020
A big Thank You to Netgalley.com for a free Kindle copy in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed the book so much and was so intrigued by the subject matter that I went a head and purchased the Kindle version. The book includes photographs and tin types from the 1880's. The book does need the reader's undivided attention as it goes back and forth in time. The author did seemed to repeat and contradict himself but that is why the reader needs to pay close attention. The reason is the source material. The author would quote or paraphrase one source that would directly contradict another source. The best reading order this Tom Clavin history trilogy is start with Wild Bill (2019), Dodge City (2017) and then Tombstone (2020). While each book can be read individually, reading them in the order I mentioned will make understanding the history of gunfighters and shootists of the Old West easier especially for people that have never been exposed to the subject matter in an American History course.
I did have a hard time with imagining the cast because so many movies and TV shows had different people cast in the various roles.
I enjoyed the book so much and was so intrigued by the subject matter that I went a head and purchased the Kindle version. The book includes photographs and tin types from the 1880's. The book does need the reader's undivided attention as it goes back and forth in time. The author did seemed to repeat and contradict himself but that is why the reader needs to pay close attention. The reason is the source material. The author would quote or paraphrase one source that would directly contradict another source. The best reading order this Tom Clavin history trilogy is start with Wild Bill (2019), Dodge City (2017) and then Tombstone (2020). While each book can be read individually, reading them in the order I mentioned will make understanding the history of gunfighters and shootists of the Old West easier especially for people that have never been exposed to the subject matter in an American History course.
I did have a hard time with imagining the cast because so many movies and TV shows had different people cast in the various roles.
June 3, 2020
Let’s be real, all I know about Tombstone is what I learned from Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer.
I visited the actual location as a kid but beyond the really entertaining tombstones I really don’t remember much.
I have no idea how this book measures up to other books about the people or place, but it was definitely a fun and educational read.
Honestly it sounds exhausting to live in the Wild West. The amount of sheer drama the Earps (and everyone really) has to deal with was overwhelming just through text.
There was a great deal of detail that chronicled the rise of the West in general, Tombstone specifically, and how the boys came to be where they were. Obviously a good chunk of the book (about a third) is spent on the actual shootout itself at the OK Corral and the resulting fallout.
Things weren’t as fast-paced as they were in the movie (obviously) but I was still caught up in the pandemonium of it all. I definitely enjoyed this and felt like I learned a bit more about US history.
Plus I learned a lot of these landmarks are close enough I can go visit them!
I visited the actual location as a kid but beyond the really entertaining tombstones I really don’t remember much.
I have no idea how this book measures up to other books about the people or place, but it was definitely a fun and educational read.
Honestly it sounds exhausting to live in the Wild West. The amount of sheer drama the Earps (and everyone really) has to deal with was overwhelming just through text.
There was a great deal of detail that chronicled the rise of the West in general, Tombstone specifically, and how the boys came to be where they were. Obviously a good chunk of the book (about a third) is spent on the actual shootout itself at the OK Corral and the resulting fallout.
Things weren’t as fast-paced as they were in the movie (obviously) but I was still caught up in the pandemonium of it all. I definitely enjoyed this and felt like I learned a bit more about US history.
Plus I learned a lot of these landmarks are close enough I can go visit them!
September 17, 2020
4⭐️/5⭐️
Those of y’all that know me know I love the history of Tombstone. The audiobook was pretty good. Sometimes the narrator would read fast and I feel like I missed some information. I have a copy of the book that I recently purchased, and I’m looking forward to reading it.
Those of y’all that know me know I love the history of Tombstone. The audiobook was pretty good. Sometimes the narrator would read fast and I feel like I missed some information. I have a copy of the book that I recently purchased, and I’m looking forward to reading it.
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