John Boessenecker
The name Wyatt Earp comes with an immediate set of preconceptions; a hard living, hard riding lawman, card player and gunslinger. While this book centers around his long run-ins with a group of outlaws called The Cowboys (or Cow-Boys, depending on the reference and person speaking), it does not disappoint in providing a glimpse into the old west.
The author does a good job during the narrative of these events on presenting both the good and bad present in both sides of the conflict. One can debate whether it was a simpler time, or just a lawless blurring of lines that led to much of the activities on both sides, but it is undeniable throughout the narrative that there is no black and white, good guy vs. bad guy definition in any of the events. Outlaws turn lawmen, lawmen turn card sharp and vigilante, politicians, ranchers and gunslingers change allegiances depending on where the profits and personal grudges lie. This perhaps is what makes both this book and the legend of the Old West so interesting - nothing is clear cut, and anyone can turn from friend to foe and back again depending on the turn of a card or the theft of a horse.
Action is also as prominent throughout as one might find in any adventure novel. We get to see the events of the legendary OK Corral, as well as gunfights, fistfights, lawsuits and grudges at the turn of almost every page. And the author doesn't neglect the women in the tales either, we see sex workers turn housewife, abused women bravely standing up in court to testify against their partners, and in at least one case a drunken rampage and revenge attempt from a scorned woman.
Whether you are a fan of the old west, looking for a juicy tale, or even looking into true crime (let's face it, in an age and area of few lawmen, and fewer laws, there is a lot of crime, whether it is considered so at the time or not), I think most will find this an enjoyable read.
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