Doc

A Novel

By: Mary Doria Russell

Narrated by: Mark Bramhall

Length: 16 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's summary

The year is 1878, peak of the Texas cattle trade. The place is Dodge City, Kansas, a saloon-filled cow town jammed with liquored-up adolescent cowboys and young Irish hookers. Violence is random and routine, but when the burned body of a mixed-blood boy named Johnnie Sanders is discovered, his death shocks a part-time policeman named Wyatt Earp. And it is a matter of strangely personal importance to Doc Holliday, the frail 26-year-old dentist who has just opened an office at No. 24, Dodge House.

Beautifully educated, born to the life of a Southern gentleman, Dr. John Henry Holliday is given an awful choice at the age of 22: die within months in Atlanta or leave everyone and everything he loves in the hope that the dry air and sunshine of the West will restore him to health. Young, scared, lonely, and sick, he arrives on the rawest edge of the Texas frontier just as an economic crash wrecks the dreams of a nation. Soon, with few alternatives open to him, Doc Holliday is gambling professionally; he is also living with Mária Katarina Harony, a high-strung Hungarian whore with dazzling turquoise eyes, who can quote Latin classics right back at him. Kate makes it her business to find Doc the high-stakes poker games that will support them both in high style. It is Kate who insists that the couple travel to Dodge City, because “That’s where the money is.”

And that is where the unlikely friendship of Doc Holliday and Wyatt Earp really begins - before Wyatt Earp is the prototype of the square-jawed, fearless lawman; before Doc Holliday is the quintessential frontier gambler; before the gunfight at the O.K. Corral links their names forever in American frontier mythology - when neither man wanted fame or deserved notoriety.

Authentic, moving, and witty, Mary Doria Russell’s fifth novel redefines these two towering figures of the American West and brings to life an extraordinary cast of historical characters, including Holliday’s unforgettable companion, Kate. First and last, however, Doc is John Henry Holliday’s story, written with compassion, humor, and respect by one of our greatest contemporary storytellers.

©2011 Mary Doria Russell (P)2011 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"Fact and mythmaking converge as Russell creates a Dodge City filled with nuggets of surprising history, a city so alive readers can smell the sawdust and hear the tinkling of saloon pianos....Filled with action and humor yet philosophically rich and deeply moving - a magnificent read." ( Kirkus)

Such a wonderful intricate tapestry of a story

A wonderful journey into the lives of men and women of whom history has made cartoonish stereotypes. The audible narrator was amazing in his ability to take on their different voices. In particular, his rendering of the sweet gentlemanly Georgian voice of Doc Holiday I think will stay with me always.

Like sitting down with old friends...

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This audio book was so well rounded. The character development, the story line, the plot, the historical references with a fictional flair. You begin to feel like you are sitting down with old friends, listening to their stories and becoming close to each one of them. Each individual character is uniquely fascinating. By the end of this book, I felt as if I knew each character personally, and I had developed a true fondness towards Doc and Wyatt's friendship.

What did you like best about this story?

Mark Bramhall's performance was superb. What a voice! His Georgian lilt and his southern drawls were so natural and captivating. Then when he bounced back and forth between a multitude of international accents, as well as languages and genders, I was floored. Deeply impressed by this man's talent. This story was brought to life with his words.

Have you listened to any of Mark Bramhall’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This was my first Bramhall experience

Any additional comments?

There are some marvelous quotes that come from this book. I would love to listen again just to write them all down. True gems!

The most Beautifully written book

I loved how well this book was written! I loved the historical setting and the detailed description of each of the characters. I felt like I was there with Doc and Catherine, and Wyatt, and the whole lot of them, as they lived their lives and struggled and laughed. Of the many fantastic moments, Mary's description of Doc playing Beethoven's Emperor on the piano, is downright BRILLIANT. If you love history, combined with a well written book and sublime prose, this is it.

I could go on, but you are better off listening to or reading the real thing.

Best Performance

This was the best performance of an audible book that I have read. Great book made all the better by the excellent telling of the story.

very interesting

kept me listening and did not get boring. I gained much understanding. I enjoy history in story form

incredible book!

the book was great! one of the few books where I loved the narrator even more than the book. Bravo!

Go git 'im cowboy!

Engaging historical fiction story about the Wild West, Doc Holliday, the Earp brothers. Hard times especially for women in the frontier. Strong narration. Read along with hard copy which was useful in referring to characters names and relationships.

Great story telling and a fantastic reader

I really enjoyed this novel. The reader’s performance was magnificent and his different voices for each character made it very easy to listen to. I found myself chuckling and entertained more than a few times. I also learned a bit about Doc Holliday and the Earps.

poorly written

Endlessly and repeatedly drifts. The author should have chosen either a novel or a documentary, not both..Found myself continually fst forwarding to get past the long interruptions to the story..killed any possibility of proper pace.

Wonderful!

This book is absolutely wonderful. The best I’ve read this year. A well researched story of a remarkable man and the lives he touched.