Customer Reviews

I Married Wyatt Earp: The Recollections of Josephine Sarah Marcus Earp

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Wyatt Earp assumes another personna in these memoirs by his wife, Jospehine Sarah Marcus Earp. She recites a loving memory of a wise and skillful man with whom she wandered the West for half a century seeking adventure and riches; an odyssey by an itinerant "boomer" and his wife that while not always successful, included exciting adventures in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado and Idaho. Here Josephine reveals a Wyatt Earp unlike the mythical figure created by Stuart lake, the brooding and deceitful soul depicted by Frank Waters, or the vitriolic portrait of a scoundrel presented by Ed Bartholomew. Due to poor scholarship, biases, or misinformation, it is difficult, at this late date, to rescue the real Wyatt Earp from the dusty layers of time. In this book, Josephine Earp makes a valiant and largely successful effort to do so.

Josephine has a sure grasp of most of the undercurrents surrounding Wyatt's life and times. Her Wyatt Earp emerges as a western jack-of-all trades: a part-time lawman, part-time gambler, part-time prospector, part-time race horse manager, part-time boxing referee, and part-time conman. Wyatt and Josephine mingled with the wealthy, with noted gunmen. with literary figures, with movies stars, with crooks, and with plain folks.

When Wyatt was young he was undoubtedly a showman but so were many of his contemporaries. A reputation for toughness was always helpful on the frontier and opened many doors for the ambitious Wyatt Earp who often practiced the art of "embellishment" as a helpful adjunct for survival in whatever trade he undertook. He made many enemies and a few close friends during his life. He was attractive to women, probably wandered during his marriage to Josephine, and may have suffered accordingly.

Anyone who tries to understand the making of the Earp myth might be forgiven for wondering how Wyatt became a legend. It's a good bet Wyatt Earp would have marveled as well. In this book, Mrs. Earp's assessment is very simple: Wyatt fit the mold of a hero in every respect. He was tough, nervy, adaptable, incredibly lucky, and most importantly was chosen by fate as the personification of a hero. Authors Stuart Lake and Walter Noble Burns wrote their successful books on Earp six decades ago using this latter premise and thus, we have had countless books, articles, etc., arguing the pros and cons of Wyatt Earp.

Mrs. Earp's memoirs were edited by Glenn Boyer and as usual his informative comments strengthen her narrative. Boyer is very knowledgeable on the Earp family and has devoted many years in correcting lies and misconceptions about Wyatt Earp. Boyer's chapter notes describe a Wyatt Earp subject to the frailties that beset us all, no matter the time and place; a person maligned durng and after his life; and a person more often in the right than in the wrong.

Jospehine was with Wyatt when he died on January 13, 1929, a peaceful end to a long, turbulent and adventurous life. Both he and Josephine had traveled together for many years but his last and most important journey was made without her. She lived until 1944, a strong willed person filled with an abiding love for Wyatt Earp. Josephine devoted her remaining years in fiercely defending her vision of a tough and honorable man. Her memoirs provide an intimate and personal view of Wyatt Earp that few readers interested in the West should do without.

This is a highly controversial book, though as many reviewers before me have noted; it's hard to tell why. Review readers influenced by such stale criticisms as that the author faked his research (criticisms without a basis in fact) should read the above publisher's statement about what the book is. It traces the genesis of such unjustified criticisms.

At the time the book was released, it was correctly recognized by the Univ. of Arizona. Press as the most heavily documented book of the kind they had ever published. This has not changed. Further, the major documentary sources of the book are all in the special collections of Univ. of Arizona library.

This book is exactly what it appears to be - a memoir of a remarkable frontier woman who, moreover, was the mistress of the leaders on both sides of an unparalleled feud that led to widespread bloodshed in southeastern Arizona. She was, in fact, as the author comments, a sort of Helen of Troy of Tombstone in that her defection from the sheriff to Wyatt Earp was responsible for the sheriff's frantic efforts to even the score by trying to railroad the Earps to prison or the gallows for the public service they performed, known today as the gunfight at the o.k. corral. He did not succeed.

He did succeed in hounding them out of the territory, however, which seems to have founded an M.O. that many subsequent sheriffs have followed. Sheriff john slaughter appointed himself judge, jury and executioner and bad guys fled, sheriff harry wheeler, ran thousands of union men out of the county, a recent sheriff, with somewhat more justice, frightened a troublemaking religious sect out of the county.

By any measure, Josie Earp's memoir is worth reading. As to the criticism that she didn't write it, most subjects of memoirs do not write them personally, but have the assistance of someone with writing ability who is familiar with their story, such as a relative or close friend. In this case, Glenn Boyer finalized the work he took it over an unfinished work from two earlier amanuenses and vastly enriched it with superior resources and knowledge. They were distant relatives of Josie Earp. He was an intimate of the Earp family and fully qualified to do what he did - rewrite several less-than-professional sources and merge them into a first person delivery to make them saleable, and he did it on professional advice.

So what's to criticize if he rewrote as necessary if that's par for the course? Well, for one thing the author, Boyer, kicked a lot of literary thieves in the back pockets of their Levi's and they aren't taking it very well. And why did he do it? As premier Earp premieer, lee Silva, has said: "we wouldn't know much about Wyatt Earp without the research of Glenn Boyer." And that was the rub. A lot of Johnny come latelies appropriated that research for their own work without due credit, which is why they got kicked where they needed it most.

I note that the criticism doesn't hurt sales. This book was rated 17,000 this morning. Not bad 28 years after it was released by a university press.

I was glued to this book. I even read all of the research notes. This was truly a remarkable work of history and a great perspective on an event that has been over dramatized and blown out of such proportion by Hollywood.

"I Married Wyatt Earp" is not for those who are looking for a "shoot 'em up" historical biography. In fact the famed O.K. Corral gunfight is just a small portion of this book. However, if you are looking for incredible insight to what made Wyatt tick, what made Josie tick, what life was like during their era, and a very easy read then this is the book for you! Mr. Boyer is the only "historian/novelist" to have actually vistied with and received his information from the Earp family and friends as well as Josephine's family. This gives him an incredible edge over other so-called Earp historians and that is why anyone interested in the Earps needs to read this book and any other book in which Mr. Boyer graces us with.

While it's obvious that Josie was firm in her portrayal of her husband...this book is a prize in my collection. Chalk full of information not found in other volumes. I felt much closer to having "been there" when I finally put this book down...so much so...that I will read it or portions of it again and again! Excellent!!!

This is one of the best Western books on the market. It will be an enjoyable book for the enthusiast who is an avid reader of Old West literature, as well as someone who has never read an old Western book before.

Boyer tell the story from Josephine Earps eyes. It is excellently done, full of emotion, and the ending no will make many of the women cry, as Josie is beside Wyatt at his bedside when he dies.

There is a picture of Wyatt, Josie and their little dog. ( Wyatt loved animals)

I'm aware of the heated debate, concerning a few parties of the accuracy's of this book. ( I'm a Civil War buff, and we hear that all the time with Civil War books)

Nonetheless, if you love "Romance" stories, or good Westerns, you won't go wrong with this book.

Josephine Marcus Earp was born with a sense of adventure, she ran away from a prosperous and loving home in San Francisco not to join the circus, but a theatrical troupe playing Gilbert and Sullivan's H.M.S. Pinafore that was bound for Tombstone.
Young, attractive and impressionable is a prescription for trouble in a mining town. Josie accepted Johnny Behan's offer of marriage before she had time to look over the whole field, and it came back to haunt her. Behan bought her a ring but put off the wedding. Wyatt Earp caught Josie's eye and opened up a classic love triangle. Then to further complicate matters both suitors were in a race to become the next sheriff of Cochise County.
Josie's accounts of Tombstone are right on the mark and two of her best friends Addie Bourland and Marietta Spencer had first hand knowledge regarding two of Tombstone's major happenings - the shootout at the OK Corral and the murder of Morgan Earp.
Josie tells about the bloodletting after the shootout and how in order to get out of the line of fire Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday along with several allies leave Tombstone and go to Colorado. Josie followed Wyatt a short time later and they soon got married. While they were in Colorado they spent time with Doc Holliday and Bat Masterson and did some mining in the Gunnison area.
Then it was on to the silver strike at Coeur d'Alene, Idaho and the gold fields of Alaska. Back in the states Wells Fargo hired Wyatt to do some detective work in Texas. When that job was finished they traveled to San Diego, California in search of business opportunities. The two dined out, went to parties, attended the theatre and saw the famous Lily Langtry perform in Shakespeare's "As You Like It." Wyatt made a number of profitable investments in both saloons and real estate. He also won a fine trotting racehorse in a poker game. That one horse peaked Wyatt's interest in racing and he eventually bought and raced a sizeable stable of horses. Following those days on the racing circuit and a stint as a boxing promoter Wyatt and Josie settled in and lived out their lives in Los Angeles entertaining and being entertained by stars that were part of Hollywood's burgeoning motion picture community.
Wyatt died in 1929 and Josie lived until 1944.
Josephine Marcus Earp tells a compelling story of an era filled with colorful characters and fascinating events.

Tom Barnes Author of "Doc Holliday's Road to Tombstone"

After reading this book, I couldn't figure out what was fact and what was fiction. I was hoping to get a sense of something more about the man, but I
understand that she was trying to protect him and his memory. I love reading books of the Old West, but this one disappointed me in a way. It would be
something if a book came out telling the truth of Wyatt Earp...I'd buy it in a second.

Josephine Marcus Earp was born with a sense of adventure, she ran away from a prosperous and loving home in San Francisco not to join the circus, but a theatrical troupe playing Gilbert and Sullivan's H.M.S. Pinafore that was bound for Tombstone.
Young, attractive and impressionable is a prescription for trouble in a mining town. Josie accepted Johnny Behan's offer of marriage before she had time to look over the whole field, and it came back to haunt her. Behan bought her a ring but put off the wedding. Wyatt Earp caught Josie's eye and opened up a classic love triangle. Then to further complicate matters both suitors were in a race to become the next sheriff of Cochise County.
Josie's accounts of Tombstone are right on the mark and two of her best friends Addie Bourland and Marietta Spencer have inside knowledge regarding two of Tombstone's major happenings - the shootout at the OK Corral and the murder of Morgan Earp.
Josie tells about the bloodletting after the shootout and how in order to get out of the line of fire Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday along with several allies leave Tombstone and go to Colorado. Josie followed Wyatt a short time later and they soon got married. While they were in Colorado they spent time with Doc Holliday and Bat Masterson and did some mining in the Gunnison area.
Then it was on to the silver strike at Coeur d'Alene, Idaho and the gold fields of Alaska. Back in the states Wells Fargo hired Wyatt to do some detective work in Texas. When that job was finished they traveled to San Diego, California in search of business opportunities. The two dined out went to parties, attended the theatre and saw the famous Lily Langtry perform in Shakespeare's "As You Like It." Wyatt made a number of profitable investments in both saloons and real estate. He also won a fine trotting racehorse in a poker game. That one horse peaked Wyatt's interest in racing and he eventually bought and raced a sizeable stable of horses. Following those days on the racing circuit and a stint as a boxing promoter Wyatt and Josie settled in and lived out their lives in Los Angeles entertaining and being entertained by Hollywood's burgeoning movie community.
Wyatt died in 1929 and Josie lived until 1944.
Josephine Marcus Earp tells a compelling story of an era filled with colorful characters and fascinating events.
Tom Barnes Author of `Doc Holliday's Road to Tombstone,' `The Hurricane Hunters and Lost in the Bermuda Triangle,' and `The Goring Collection.'

The so-called controversy around this book has been discussed to exhaustion in my opinion. For those who cant seem to understand the how and why of this book, I offer this suggestion: Move on and let it go. There's no need for me to defend a book that needs no defense. For those seeking to learn some truths about Wyatt Earp and to view his life from the angle of someone close to him, this is an excellent source. Not only is the book informative, it is a good read. A great chance for the historically interested mind to find out more about the Earp's life, before, during, and after Tombstone. If you read this, don't miss out on the interesting notes in the back of the book. You may wish to go back and look at them at the end of the chapter later to avoid disrupting the flow of the story, or you may read them as you go. Either way, some interesting footnotes and commentary by the author, Glenn Boyer. I am awaiting one of his other books, "Tombstone Vendetta" and am looking forward to reading it. Highly recommended, a must for any student of Earp history. Dave from Iowa.