Tombstone: Wyatt Earp, the O.K. Corral, and the Vendetta Ride 1881-82

Description

The Gunfight at the OK Corral on 26 October 1881 is one of the most enduring stories of the Old West. It led to a series of violent incidents that culminated in the Vendetta Ride, in which Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, and several other gunslingers went after their rivals the Cowboys. Like most tales of the Wild West, the facts are buried under layers of myth, and the line between good guys and bad guys is blurry. Wyatt Earp, leader of the so-called "good guys", was charged with stealing horses in the Indian Territory in 1870 and jumped bail. Becoming a buffalo hunter and gambler, he got into several scrapes and earned a reputation as a gunfighter. Several times he helped lawmen arrest outlaws, but usually his assistance came more because of a personal grudge against the criminal than any real respect for law and order. He even got fired from a police job in Wichita for beating up a political rival.

Sean McLachlan worked for ten years as an archaeologist before becoming a full-time writer specializing in history and adventure travel. He lived for twelve years in southern Arizona and explored most of the locations described in this volume. Sean has published several books on history, with a focus on the Civil War and the Old West. His novel, A Fine Likeness, is set in Civil War Missouri. Visit him on the web at civilwarhorror.blogspot.com. Johnny Shumate works as a freelance illustrator living in Nashville, Tennessee. He began his career in 1987 after graduating from Austin Peay State University. Most of his work is rendered in Adobe Photoshop using a Cintiq monitor. His greatest influences are Angus McBride, Don Troiani, and Edouard Detaille. His interests include karate, running, Bible reading, history, and making English longbows.

"Thanks to [the author's] steady research, we have as much knowledge and insight to these men and this time as is currently available. It all makes for a truly fascinating tale and one that really does not have a clean and satisfying end. However, thanks to the superb period photos and some great artwork, it does make for a gripping read ... it is a book that no enthusiast of the time should be without. It deserves a high recommendation." --Scott Van Aken, www.modelingmadness.com (July 2013) "This 80-page paperback is richly illustrated with period photos as well as artwork created by Mark Stacey and Johnny Shumate. The author profile the principals, details the gunfighters' techniques and covers lots more ground in this enthralling account of the famous shootout. Hobbyists who have been collecting recently released metal and plastic figures inspired inspired by the O.K. Corral will discover plenty of display and diorama ideas inside this compelling book." --Toy Soldier & Model Figure (October 2013)