Lonesome Dove - Larry McMurtry

⭐ 10/10

Wow! I mean Wow! So... this book is unreal. Shout out to Joe for the recommendation. I can't think a time I've enjoyed a book this much in recent years. This is just one of those books that has a soul to it, like it is a character in and of itself. Like the narrator's voice is coming from the very pages and spine of the book.

This book is an epic, a grand tale of the old west. We follow Gus, Call, Deets, Pea Eye, Newt, and a slew of others who come in and out of the group known as the Hat Creek Outfit. One day, on the horizon, our boys see none other than Jake Spoon, an old ranger who worked along the Gus and Call during the American crusade against the natives. Jake mentions to his old comrades that there is some insane opportunity up in Montana to become successful cattle ranchers. With that, the trek begins. The boys wrangle up some horses, cattle, and cowboys to drive these steer up to the pastures of Montana. Accompanied by a prostitute named Lorena, the crew sets out, fording rivers, shooting horse thieves, and avoiding the natives (especially Blue Duck). I'm going to stop here with my synopsis because I don't want any hint of spoilers at all because I deeply want you all to read this book if you haven't

This book is just so good. Like I mentioned earlier there is a soul to this book. A voice that comes through the pages and envelopes you in the atmosphere. You don't just read about these characters, you get to know them, get to form bonds with them, leading to excitement over the good times, and sorrow over the bad. This book is long, but it's apt in its length because it feels like the the trek that this group is on. When I finished this book I had this realization that just like how these characters were on a long journey themselves, I was on my own journey. I was trekking through plains in America, I was fighting off cattle snatchers, I developed, and learned and grew, surrounded by characters that I really enjoyed the company of. It's a wild feeling, and one that I only rarely get when reading stories. This book nailed it.