Lady at the O.K. Corral

November 26, 2012
On an October afternoon in 1881, Wyatt Earp and his brothers, along with Doc Holliday, confronted a group of outlaws "in an open lot near the O.K. Corral" in Arizona Territory; the ensuing barrage of gunfire became the stuff of legend. The Earps and Holliday emerged as heroes, but standing in the shadows was Wyatt's fourth and final wife, Josephine, who, until now, was a specter of history. In this admiring and vivacious biography, Kirschner (Sala's Gift) brings the frontierswoman into the limelight. Born in New York City to Prussian Jews, Josephine (1860â1944) was a rebellious and lively young lady who disliked school but became "infatuated with the stage" after the family moved to San Francisco; there the aspiring thespian saw a performance of HMS Pinafore, and promptly joined a traveling acting troupe. By the time she was 20, Josephine had rolled into Tombstone, Arizona Territory, and met Wyatt Earp. The story follows the couple in search of new opportunities, from running a saloon in Alaska to getting in on the booming film industry in Hollywood. Kirschner's fascinating profile captures the restless spirit of the frontier as deftly as it does Josephine's energy, affection, and limitless appetite for adventure. 8-page b&w photo insert. Agent: Flip Brophy, Sterling Lord Literistic.

April 1, 2013

The legends of the Old West town of Tombstone and lawman Wyatt Earp have been represented by Hollywood with questionable accuracy for decades, while tales of Earp and his brothers were common in broadsides and newspapers right from the start of their notoriety. Kirschner (univ. dean, Macaulay Honors Coll., CUNY; Sala's Gift) examines the prevailing narratives surrounding Earp, Tombstone, and the O.K. Corral to correct a historical record that effectively erased any mention of women having a meaningful impact on the premises. Without giving anything away, let's just say this biographical narrative of Josephine Marcus Earp clarifies the facts. Throughout, Kirschner raises questions about who was responsible for the omission of Josephine from the Earp story. Was Wyatt Earp's common-law wife of almost 50 years happy to avoid the spotlight? Or did she in fact desire attention? Like many subjects of legend, and those subject-adjacent, Josephine wanted the story told on her terms, and this, typically, ensured that her experience was never really revealed. Through deft analysis of primary and secondary sources, and through contacts with extant family members, Kirschner has corrected the narrative as thoroughly as possible. VERDICT Highly recommended for Old West enthusiasts and scholars, high school and up.--Jewell Anderson, Armstrong Atlantic State Univ. Lib., Savannah, GA

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