Thank you for that post.
I ignore BM and pretend it doesn’t exist.
And with that, I have to say....Lonesome Dove is epic, and is a truly great American west novel.
I’ve also read two books of McMurtry essays, and they are superb also. His descriptions are so vivid, they have illuminated my experience of Texas. It does seem at times he’s a bit more acerbic and critical of Texas than I would be, but that just runs off of me like water off the ducks back. I don’t mind someone softly pointing out Texas’ flaws and exaggerations and shortcomings, so long as they are doing it in a way which is vivid and powerful - if for no other reason, because his writing makes me love Texas so much more.
Which is sort of what happened with Lonesome Dove. He sought to “demythologize” the Cowboy - ie, by describing the characters in a cattle drive in all of their humanness.
What did though, ironically, is create a new, more accurate mythology which STILL reveres the cattle drivers, but also seems them more accurately, ie, as human beings and all that that entails.
Then there is the wonderful achievement in his life of bringing some 400,000 books to Archer City, his hometown. I understand that the collection has been winnowed a bit, and that it is manageable and will be managed by his descendants. That is a work any conservative must admire, and admire immensely.
I would never claim that McMurtry is one of us, or perfect, or anything like that. But I’ll say that his writing (not the gay stuff) has enriched me immensely and while he was old and his passing was not really a surprise, it is a time for reflection, and with not a bit of sadness at his passing.
I’m very grateful for the life and work of Larry McMurtry.
But I’ll never open or watch the gay book/movie......
Excellent post.
I will always appreciate and thank him for Lonesome Dove for the reasons you stated. So many fine moments with regard to the human condition.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5vskCOPEeg
Just a few here.
He did not write BM he adapted it to a screen play
Larry purchased the collections of several used bookstores as they closed.
He knew the value of old books and bookstores. I never did get an opportunity to visit his but I did look through some of those books in their original stores.
McMurtry didn’t write BM (Annie Proulx is the author).
I concur with your remark about his vivid depictions. There is always something so familiar about most of his characters, somehow. As though they are in the same room with you, or on the same ride. I guess that is what makes his storytelling so good.