A lot has been written over the years about the life of Wyatt Earp, both legend and fact. Barra shows what he believes where legend may be fact and known facts to border on legend or be the fanciful imagining of those who loved the Wild West. The tale begins in Monmouth, Illinois where Wyatt was born in 1849, dispelling any myth of Earp either being born in a log cabin or on a ranch. He was just a plain ordinary boy who lived in a plain ordinary house with his parents and numerous brothers.
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In spite of the defunct myths that surround Wyatt Earp this tale swirls with excitement all the way from cow town Dodge City, Kansas to the O. K. Corral fight in Tombstone, Arizona. The gun-blazing adventure finally moves west to California where actor Tom Mix was one of the devoted pallbearers at Wyatt's funeral. Through these historical western locals of Earp's life rides such characters as, of course, his brothers Virgil, Morgan and Warren. Ever present is the dying but delightful John ‘Doc' Holliday accompanied by his lady-love Kate Harony, who was also know by the last names of Elder and Fisher. Wyatt's own love life is included in the neat forms of his first wife Urilla Sutherland, his second wife Mattie of the dubious character, and his third wife the beautiful Josephine Marcus.
Not all the characters presented here were on the side of the Earps. Heading the long list of Earp adversaries are the Clantons and the McLaury brothers as well as Billy Clairborne and gunslinger John Ringo.
The review of this Book prepared by Mary Trotter Kion
