Tombstone: The Earp Brothers

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.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.

My Review



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.