Reading like it's my job #13: Lonesome Dove
I did it! It turns out that by reading every waking moment (such as sitting at red lights or waiting in line at the post office), one can finish quite a lengthy book in a relatively short amount of time. I listened to about a quarter of it on audiobook (bless you, Lee Horsley) and then read the last three quarters with Horsley's voice in my head. Here we go!
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
Wow. Just wow. This was not what I was expecting. I expected adventure, which I got in droves, but I didn't expect this book to break my heart the way it did. This may be the most heartbroken I've been over fictional characters since Hopper sacrificed himself to save Hawkins and Jon Snow was banished to the Nights Watch. McMurtry doesn't spare anybody from suffering in one way or another, which I should have expected since that's what people in late 1800s America did: Suffer. Brutal outlaws, inescapable weather, oppressive social norms, poor healthcare...I used to romanticize about this time period, but it was rough. Women and minorities especially had it rough. It didn't matter how badly I wanted my favorites to be spared from the suffering - they got it too.
If you're not familiar, Lonesome Dove is referred to as the Western of westerns in some circles. The plot is simple: Cowboys driving cattle from the Texas-Mexico border up to Montana. The leaders of the outfit are former Texas Rangers Woodrow Call and Gus McCrae. There are side-plots here and there, but the action is set in motion by the arrival of a former comrade, which leads to the decision to head north.
Call and Gus banter like an old married couple and it is a joy to read. Much of the dialogue is a treat, especially with Gus around. He wins my favorite character award. While slow in parts, what struck me early on is that the characters make character-driven decisions. Gus and Call go north not because the plot demands it, but because they have to. They are men of action, it is who they are. McMurtry writes his characters so well that you can nearly predict what they will and won't do. It's an amazing ability that I'm sure all writers strive for. Even characters that get introduced late in the story become beloved and understood in no time at all. This blew me away.
Then there's the violence, which happens as suddenly and brutally as it would in real life. It isn't glamorized (although it did give me a thrill every time Gus sprang into action). Some of it is hard to read, but McMurtry doesn't indulge in it. That being said, the occurrence of rape and murder may be too much for sensitive readers.
I was sad when I finished because even though I was emotionally wrecked, I wanted to spend more time with the characters. Luckily, there is a sequel and two prequels. I look forward to digging into those.
Finally, a big announcement: I got a job at People magazine. Check out my first review on Amazon for one of the prequels, Comanche Moon:
Sounds like something I would say, doesn't it? Unfortunately, my name is a common one and that is not me. Maybe someday this little newsletter will lead to a job at a reputable institution, like People!
Up next I'm reading Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. It has a wry wit and the character of Eleanor reminds me a little of Ignatius J. Reilly. I'm enjoying it so far.
What are you reading? What's your favorite western?
Kyle