For those who have an interest in the history of the Wild West and one of its most legendary characters, Wyatt Earp, there will be an upcoming lecture at the Topeka Public Library hosted by the renowned author and historian Mark Warren. He will be presenting his recently released book, “Promised Land,” which focuses on the exciting time period in Wyatt Earp’s life when he journeys to the town of Tombstone, Arizona, and cements himself as an immortal hero of the Wild West.

Warren’s “Promised Land” is the third and final book in his trilogy “Wyatt Earp, An American Odyssey.” The new book was released Oct. 16 by Five Star – Gale Cengage and has since received incredible reviews for its authenticity and dedication to the true story of Wyatt Earp.

“I first got interested simply by picking up a book at age seven over Wyatt Earp,” said Warren. “I thought it was an authentic book at the time but it related him as an impossibly perfect human being. The true story is much more compelling and interesting.”

“Promised Land” covers perhaps the most captivating parts of Wyatt Earp’s life including his arrival in Tombstone, Arizona, followed by the legendary gunfight at the OK Corral and the subsequent vendetta ride.

“What hooked me about Wyatt Earp was the tale of courage,” said Warren. “I’ve always been interested in courage. For me it seems to be you use it when you need to use it in a defining moment of heroism. The book I read as a boy was filled with so much courage, that’s what got me interested in the Wild West.”

The conclusion of “Wyatt Earp, An American Odyssey” is being lauded as not just another book over the famous lawman as it sticks to the true story of what occurred in Earp’s life. Warren is also being praised for his ability to get inside the head of Earp and relate what he was feeling during the often tense moments he found himself in while navigating the dangerous factions of Tombstone.

“Most authors tend to focus on blood and thunder westerns,” said Warren. “My main purpose was to get in the head of Wyatt Earp. How he faced his confrontations took me a long, long time to figure out. It took me a long time to grasp his line of thought. Secret to that was to interpret the actions of a courageous man into the actions of a fearless man. He had a confidence that he couldn’t be harmed, he stepped towards a problem instead of turning away.”

Warren is a graduate of the University of Georgia with a degree in Chemistry/Pre-med. At Medicine Bow, his school in the Southern Appalachians, he teaches nature classes and survival skills of the Cherokees.

Warren has written extensively about nature and primitive survival for magazines, including: Guernica, Blue Ridge Highlander, North Georgia Journal, Camping, Survivor’s Edge and Georgia Backroads. His published books include, “Two Winters in a Tipi a memoir,” “Secrets of the Forest,” and a four-volume series on nature/survival, “Adobe Moon.”

“Was Wyatt Earp the hero that legend has taught us? Or was he the greatly flawed opportunist that some revisionist historians have suggested?” said Miranda Ericsson, spokesperson for the Topeka Public Library. “Mr. Warren will shed light on how to separate facts from the legend during his presentation.”

Warren’s presentation will be at the Topeka Public Library on Wednesday, Nov. 13 at 7 p.m. Warren will be available to answer questions and sign his book after the presentation has concluded.

Edited by Adam White, Jason Morrison, Brianna Smith, Jessica Galvin