Paula Mitchell Marks' "And Die in the West" is one of the most enjoyable treatments of history that I have read in some time. Not only is her prose highly readable and informative, it also achieves that goal which every good historian must set out to do--provide an objective analysis in light of the sources available. Mrs. Marks provides a comprehensive look at the forces which helped to define the West, then provides the shootout out behind the OK Corral and its aftermath as the ultimate example of those forces in conflict. While it can be argued that a bit too much time is spent on the legal proceedings following the gunfight, it is a minor flaw in an otherwise first-rate work. Anyone looking for a thorough, detailed description of the events and characters that played a role in the mythos of the West is hereby encouraged to make this book a part of their permanent collection.

If you could read only one book about the OK Corral gunfight, this should be it. There is no attempt to make either group right or wrong; too often these days, one or the other group is portrayed as a set of complete bad guys, when "complete" is much too strong a word. There are a few other books that should be considered, Chaput's "Virgil Earp: Western Peace Officer", Tanner and DeArment's "Doc Holliday: A Family Portrait", and Bob Boze Bell's books on Doc Holliday and Wyatt Earp. All reach pretty much the same conclusions although there are some variations in viewpoint that will make the reader think (for example, Tanner's view on just who was the target at the Boarding House is intriguing). Anyway, Dr. Marks' book is well-written, with a style that is easy to follow and appreciate. It is my hope that she finds other western subjects to write about so that we may enjoy more of the fruits of her research and writing ability.

For those of us brought up on Wyatt Earp as portrayed by Hugh O'Brian, this book is somewhat unsettling. Ms. Marks has done an evenhanded job of presenting both sides of the story. The famous gunfight at the OK Corral came about because of a series of blunders by both parties and she details them all. I enjoyed the book immensely.

This is an excellent book to read if you are searching for more information about Indian movements west and the details of the movements. I bought the book specifically to find out more about the Cherokee East Indians and their movement west to Join the Oklahoma and Texas Indians already in place. John Ross, of course went to Washington, and tried to use his understanding and influence to affect the longevity of the Cherokee nation. Unfortunately, Andrew Jackson and his Federal Troops saw the world differently and Cherokees were being driven out of Georgia with the discovery of gold. Other tribes were dispersed as well. The movement west was called by some, the Trail of Tears of 1838, but this book describes in detail a larger period of time with a much wider scope to include many tribes, and the details of their destinations and their plight in arriving there. The book is candid about the people who became interlopers, i.e., became so normal to see about the place that they were put to work and became tribal members. Many had married indian women, and the author details that many had no skills to speak of. In fact, the author details, many became blacksmiths for lack of any other trade and the Indians welcomed them to their homeplace to practice such trades. Todays excellent automobile mechanics are of Cherokee or other Indian Ancestory and they possess uncanny analytical skills which are probably due to the Indian Ancestory. You will enjoy reading the book because it has new points of view which you will probably not see in other Indian publications , and it will, no doubt, help you to answer your Indian questions.