JohnH.Holliday,D.D.S.,betterknownasDocHolliday,hasbecomealegendaryfigureinthehistoryoftheAmericanWest.InDocHolliday:AFamilyPortrait,KarenHollidayTannerrevealstherealmanbehindthelegend.SheddinglightonHolliday’searlyyears,inaprominentGeorgiafamilyduringtheCivilWarandReconstruction,sheexaminestheelementsthatshapedhisdestiny:hisbirthdefect,thedeathofhismotherandestrangementfromhisfather,andthediagnosisoftuberculosis,whichledtohisjourneywest.TheinfluenceofHolliday’sgenteelupbringingneverdisappeared,butitwasincreasinglyovershadowedbyhisemergingwesternpersonality.Hollidayhimselfnurturedhisimageasafrontiergamblerandgunman.Usingpreviouslyundisclosedfamilydocumentsandreminiscencesaswellasotherprimarysources,TannerdocumentsthetruestoryofDoc’sfriendshipwiththeEarpbrothersandhisrun-inswiththelaw,includingtheclimacticshootoutattheO.K.Corralanditsaftermath.ThisfirstauthoritativebiographyofDocHollidayshouldappealbothtohistoriansoftheWestandtogeneralreaderswhoareinterestedinhispoignantstory.
