(39) Doc

Title: Doc: A Novel by Mary Doria Russell
Publisher: Ballantine Books
432 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction

Synopsis: Born to the life of a Southern gentleman, Dr. John Henry Holliday arrives on the Texas frontier hoping that the dry air and sunshine of the West will restore him to health. Soon, with few job prospects, Doc Holliday is gambling professionally with his partner, Mária Katarina Harony, a high-strung, classically educated Hungarian whore. In search of high-stakes poker, the couple hits the saloons of Dodge City. And that is where the unlikely friendship of Doc Holliday and a fearless lawman named Wyatt Earp begins— before the gunfight at the O.K. Corral links their names forever in American frontier mythology—when neither man wanted fame or deserved notoriety.


Review: All I've ever known about Doc Holliday is what the movies or folklore has repeated, just a small blip in the life of a man.  Mary Doria Russell dives deeper to let us know more about who this person who is forever linked to Wyatt Earp really is.

 Mary Doria Russell has done exhaustive research on Doc's early life before the OK Corral. Who knew that Doc Holliday was actually a dentist? You can feel the grit in the air, and the dirt on your boots as you read through this novel.  If you are looking for some fast paced excitement this isn't it.  This is more about the characters that you've heard about but didn't really know.  Mary Doria Russell is known for her vivid descriptions and characters and she delivers once again.  Well worth the read.

Comments