Lonesome Dove - Larry McMurtry
⭐10/10
This is a classic Western novel about a group of Texas Rangers who set their sights on becoming ranchers. The novel is essentially the story of them moving a herd a cattle from southern Texas to northern Montana - so essentially the expanse of the American West. And that's really it. I am usually a plot guy, but this novel is all about the characters, their experiences, and their interactions with one another. There are certainly some exciting events within the 1000 pages of this novel, but for the most part, this book almost feels like a documentary.
Part of that is the unrelenting committment to realism. I can't say I've ever experienced this sense of belonging in a setting. There is never anything too mind-blowing, but little by little, over the course of all these pages, you just sit back and be like, "yeah I know everything there is to know about the old West." From the gross habits of these cowboys, to how they react to danger, to the random events and hazards that pop up on the great plains, I couldn't help but feel like this is one of the greatest achievements of research for a book on the author's part, just a super intimate knowledge of day-to-day life on the frontier.
That realism also extends to the characters, and critics seems to think that this is the book's strongest element. This book uses an omniscient POV, so you get the thoughts of a LOT of characters. I usually hate this style, but it works wonderfully here. You get a ton of characters that are so, so different. You get the sense that McMurtry just knows people, and knows the ways their minds work. Not only that, but how they would work in the 1870s, and how attitudes would be shaped back then. Things like how death is a tragic fact of life, but also somewhat commonplace. Or how the white people, even the "good" guys, have a sense of superiority over Mexicans, black people, or Indigenous people.
Moreover, these characters are super consistent with how they are built up. They react to things how people actually would. I think one of my favorite facets to this story is how some of these men are emotionally stunted and struggle to express themselves. But rather than break out with beautiful soliloquies by the end they just... don't do that. Again, that committment to realism extends to every facet of this book, and if men don't communicate well, they don't break that rule, even when the reader really wants them to. Just tell your son you love him!!
Anyways, aside from all that, I think MY favorite aspect of this book is the romantic descriptions of the west. I think McMurtry is a talented writer, and there are moments where he made me long so badly for something I know I'll never experience, nor would I probably want to. It's similar to those seafaring tales, where life is torture, yet there seems to be a quiet beauty in it. In this case, the endless plains, or in thunderstorms or cards around the campfire. There is one scene in which a main character rides out to the vast emptiness after the buffalo had been killed off, and with them the Indigenous people abandoned the land. Truly a breathtaking scene and one that changes your brain a little.
I know this review is now getting to be as long as the book itself. I guess one thing I'll add is a quote that I came across again when reading up, after I finished, a quote from Gus to Lorie, who wants to travel to San Francisco: "Lorie darlin', life in San Francisco, you see, is still just life. If you want any one thing too badly, it's likely to turn out to be a disappointment. The only healthy way to live life is to learn to like all the little everyday things, like a sip of good whiskey in the evening, a soft bed, a glass of buttermilk, or a feisty gentleman like myself." I think this quote represents the book itself perfectly. It's not about the conclusions (the ending is famously abrupt), it's about your moment by moment enjoyment. You have to love reading this book, moment by moment, or else you might be left disappointed. There is no real epic conclusion to be had. For what it's worth, I've been reading this book for quite some time, and never wished to be reading anything else.
Despite my review, I still admit this book won't be for everyone. It's hard to get past how incredibly racist everyone is (the author certainly has a few winks to readers, acknowledging their problematic behavior), and how women are often disregarded (though a few of my favorites are women, kinda like LOTR). You have to love the old West to like this book. It's a massive committment with little evident payoff. Still, if you want to exist in another world, and get to know imaginary people on an intimate level, then you'll find no better novel. Indeed, novels like these are the reason I read.
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