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The Earp brothers of Tombstone: The story of Mrs. Virgil Earp
This composite biography of Wyatt, Morgan, Virgil, James, and Warner Earp is based on the recollections of Mrs. Virgil Earp, dictated to the author in the 1930s, and amplified by new documentary evidence unearthed by him in 1959.
247 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 1976
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
September 14, 2023
Most of what I knew of the Earps came from Stuart Lake's Wyatt Earp: Frontier Marshall, Walter Noble Burns' Tombstone, and the TV show. Then along comes this book which tells another tale and has as its protagonist Virgil Earp's wife Allie. Or so she claimed.
So what you have is a conflicting set of stories. Fair enough: just know that Earp and other western "heroes" (remember the Western Heroes card game from the 50s?) are no more certain than Robin Hood or Rob Roy. Entertainment, and that's about it.
Author Waters, believing everything the old lady told him (and nearly getting sued in the process) presents us with the "anti-Earps." It's as much a story about "Aunt Allie" and it is about Tombstone. R.I.P. Hugh O'Brien.
So what you have is a conflicting set of stories. Fair enough: just know that Earp and other western "heroes" (remember the Western Heroes card game from the 50s?) are no more certain than Robin Hood or Rob Roy. Entertainment, and that's about it.
Author Waters, believing everything the old lady told him (and nearly getting sued in the process) presents us with the "anti-Earps." It's as much a story about "Aunt Allie" and it is about Tombstone. R.I.P. Hugh O'Brien.
April 15, 2021
This seems to be a bit authoritative than other books since large parts of were dictated to the author by one who lived the other times. It really changed how I see the Earps and Doc Holliday. Makes me sad that what I thought I knew was all myth. It’s a great myth though.
October 20, 2023
It's an interesting read. Not what I expected of Mr. Wyatt Esrp. I'm glad I found this book and read it. More research on my part is to be done for my own interest.
June 19, 2014
Having lived twice in Dodge City, KS, it should be expected that I would pick up this book to read. The subtitle is, "The Story of Mrs. Virgil Earp." In Dodge City the main drag is named after Wyatt Earp, and on that street is his statue. Yet he did not live in Dodge City very long--less than five years--and he was not a good man. The other town that is associated with his life is Tombstone, Arizona, because of the gun fight at the OK Corral. That gun fight did not last more than 30 seconds. The old, wild, dangerous West is a fascinating period to read about, and this book is good and well written.
December 4, 2012
If you enjoy history books that debunk myths, you will like this one. The story we are told: the Earps as lawmen cleaning up the town, is actually pretty far from the truth. As Waters puts it, Wyatt was an "itinerant saloonkeeper, card sharp, gunman, bigamist, church deacon, policeman, bunco artist and supreme confidence man..."
September 21, 2008
Facinating look at what really happened that lead to the shootout at the OK corral and beyond. A terrific peak behind the legend and how they come about. (Yes, those that live the longest get to set history.)
July 27, 2017
Waters' book debunks the Wyatt Earp myth and is worth reading for that reason alone.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews