Initial Impressions: Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry-June/July 2021

[Diane, "Miss Scarlett"]

They continue that through the rest of the book Laura.

[Cathrine ☯️]

Finished and heading over to the other thread.
For those of you who loved Duvall in the miniseries I highly recommend this miniseries which reminded me of his work as Gus.

https://vimeo.com/201192621

[Sara]

Cathrine ☯️ wrote: "Finished and heading over to the other thread.
For those of you who loved Duvall in the miniseries I highly recommend this miniseries which reminded me of his work as Gus.

https://vimeo.com/20119..."

Cathrine, I had forgotten about this--but it was magnificent as well. I find that anything Duvall does is generally first rate. One of my favorite actors.

[Laura, "The Tall Woman"]

Sara wrote: "Ah, yes, Clara means everything!"

First mention of "Clara"

[Laura, "The Tall Woman"]

Cathrine ☯️ wrote: "🥕s and radishes were not in the movie 😂"

Now that's a darn shame because that was funny.

[Sara]

Laura wrote: "Sara wrote: "Ah, yes, Clara means everything!"

First mention of "Clara""

🤗

[Book Concierge]

Sara ... how sad for your grandmother to never hear from her sister again!

I remember my mother commenting about HER mother (my grandmother): She was born in the era of horse and wagon and lived to see a man walk on the moon! Talk about change!

[Sara]

It was the same for my grandfather, who lived to be 100 years old and I always thought the same--no automobiles to rocketships...and everything in between, like electricity and indoor plumbing and water running from a tap. In some way unimaginable. I wonder what they would have thought of the internet.

[Diane, "Miss Scarlett"]

I gave my grandmother one of those memory books to fill out many years ago. She dutifully answered all the questions which formed a biography of sorts. One question was "What invention in your lifetime was most important to you?" I was thinking, cars, planes, washing machines. etc. Her answer: Electricity. She was born in 1898 in the Appalachians, so they didn't get electricity until Roosevelt's WPA project gave it to them.

[Sara]

What a lovely thing to have, Diane! I can definitely see electricity being major. My grandparents did not have electricity when my mother was young. She did her homework at a kerosene lamp, which she gave to me and which I have passed on to a nephew. We did not have indoor plumbing until I was about 8 or 9 years old. I remember the sewer being laid very well.

[Diane, "Miss Scarlett"]

It is a lovely thing Sara. Another question was about the most surprising thing she found out about my grandfather after they were married. She said if she had known what a baby he was she would never have married him. That was priceless.

[Cathrine ☯️]

Hahahaha! I recently found out via cousins that my grandma wasn't her husband's biggest fan.
I think if were me, electricity would have been top of the list and second to that a washing machine.

[Sara]

LOL. Sounds like you may have inherited her sense of humor, Diane.

[Laura, "The Tall Woman"]

Y’all, I’m reading your comments and then stopped bc I’m no where close to your longer discussions. I promise I’m still here but only at chapter 20.

I liked the driving analogy to reading this book. I think the author is brilliant how he’s weaving this book together. I am not smart enough to recognize the foreshadowing of what or how this book will end

[Diane, "Miss Scarlett"]

You couldn't guess if you tried Laura. Just like the plains, it wanders all over the place, but encompasses so much.

[Laura, "The Tall Woman"]

Good bc I’m bad at predicting. Right now the convo is all about “poking”

[Diane, "Miss Scarlett"]

Well, where there are whores, there are pokes.

[Laura, "The Tall Woman"]

Oh good lord…..the snakes. John Ehle’s Land Breakers has a very memorable snake scene too.

And agree with diane…..love the animals and their names in this story.

[Lori]

Those are vicious! Stay away from the water moccasins!

[Dave, "Red Sammy"]

OK here we go. I've loved all your chat and it made me realise that life is too short to make excuses. Lonesome Dove just looked too big, I work 50hrs a week, no can do. Reading your reviews made me think again. So I'm in and I'm loving it, albeit 4 chapters down the line. The humour has got to me, it's like spending a night drinking with Irish folk. The next time someone says to me they don't have the time to read I'll buy them a copy of Lonesome Dove.

[Lori]

Yay Dave!! It’s the best time you’ll spend reading all summer! I promise! Definitely worth every minute!!!

[Lori]

Oh and I think you’ll find it reads pretty quickly!

[Diane, "Miss Scarlett"]

Yes Dave. Fastest 900 page book I ever read. You have to work, but other things may go by the wayside til you finish.

[Cathrine ☯️]

Enjoy the ride Dave.

[Diane, "Miss Scarlett"]

I've been watching a new Netflix series called "High On the Hog", about the role of enslaved Americans in food choices and preparation. The last episode is about the role of black cowboys, who were actually the first cowboys who drove Texas cattle to Northern markets. The very word "cowboy" come from the slaves who were assigned to take care of the cows and their needs, as in "go milk the cow, boy". Made me think of Deets.
The cowboy stew they made from the organ meats did not look that good to me, but I guess those hungry drovers thought it was pretty fine eating.

[Cathrine ☯️]

I had read something about that a ways back Diane. I think I recall they made up something along the lines of 25% of cowboys.

[Laura, "The Tall Woman"]

I think Howard recommended a book one time about black cowboys. I’ll see if I can find.

[Laura, "The Tall Woman"]

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...

[Diane, "Miss Scarlett"]

Thanks Laura. I added it.

[Book Concierge]

Diane wrote: "The cowboy stew they made from the organ meats did not look that good to me, but I guess those hungry drovers thought it was pretty fine eating..."

I'm a farmer/rancher's granddaughter and a butcher's daughter. My dad grew up in the Depression ... they ate everything but the "moo" (or "oink" or "baa"). I will still eat anything that isn't moving too fast .... at least once.

And I absolutely LOVE menudo ... a Mexican tripe stew. yummy.

[Sue]

I just rushed through this whole discussion in one swoop. I forgot to check off to get notifications and forgot to check the thread. I’m woefully behind but do plan to keep going. Between too many books to read and eye issues it’s been a strange summer.

Love the conversation and can ride on the enthusiasm!

[Laura, "The Tall Woman"]

Diane I’m with you it’s crazy that the same characters keep running into each other over such a vast area. Some of them are just train wrecks. I don’t like Jake at all. I’m not to part 3 but I’m close.

[Sue]

I’m only in part one and I’m already sick of Jake for so many reasons!

[Diane, "Miss Scarlett"]

I'm really glad we took 2 months to read this one, and I think this may be one of the best discussion threads we have had in this group. Jake is not a good man at all, but I imagine that his kind was not at all unusual in that time and place.

[Diane, "Miss Scarlett"]

Getting closer to Clara, Laura.

[Laura, "The Tall Woman"]

Jake is not a good man but at the same time everything he does is not shocking, but expected from this reader.

And I need every bit of that 2 months and hopefully not more. 😉

Again, this book proves how excellent of a story teller McMurtry was.

[Lori]

Jake is selfish. He gets what he wants and really only loves himself. Like Diane said, I’m sure his kind was very prevalent

[Sue]

I think you’re probably all right about Jake and his type. What I also find interesting is that the other men know him for what he is too and I enjoy seeing their different viewpoints.

[Diane, "Miss Scarlett"]

Sue, all of these men seem to be very accepting of the others, regardless of their failings. What counted was how they could be depended on in a crisis.

[Cathrine ☯️]

Good point Diane. In those days priorities were based on more pressing matters.

[Sue]

The section I’m reading has Deets thinking about the merits about some of those who would be on the drive. No sentiment, all realistic. And he knows how his life has been affected by his color too. The realism here is done quietly but well.

[Dave, "Red Sammy"]

Is it too late to comment here? I feel like a right slow coach. After I picked up Lonesome Dove ( this always happens) I started editing a documentary for the BBC which turned into a nightmare of a job. I was lucky if I could read 3-4 pages per day. But I was gripped and I couldn't get enough of it. I made it to PART 2, got introduced to July Johnson and decided that life is too short. So I quit my job at the BBC (I'm freelance) so I can dedicate the next few weeks to enjoying this journey.

[Cathrine ☯️]

Dave it's never too late. By all means, keep it going!

[Lori]

Wow, Dave that’s quite a decision for a wonderful book. I hope you’ll have other BBC jobs that are better. Your job sounds interesting.

Keep letting us know what you think.

[Sue]

Dave I’m not far from where you are with far less excuse. I’m finding the book more and more involving. Sadly I have several books going so it will take a while for me to finish. But I’m still here.

[Dave, "Red Sammy"]

What I love about Lonesome Dove is everything. It's funny, smart, engaging. Unlike anything I've read before. The BBC can fuck off, this is my book now. Apologies for my English.

[Laura, "The Tall Woman"]

I finished a few days ago. Part 3 flies by. I’ve been so busy I had not gotten back on thread. Let me catch up on newer comments.

[Diane, "Miss Scarlett"]

Way to go Dave! I'm sure Larry McMurtry would be proud. Heck, I'm proud of you. Quitting a job to devote more time to a book is a super hero thing to do, in my opinion.

[Sara]

I have let a book interfere with my job, but I have never given up a job to read a book. I wish we had an award to give! I'm glad so many of you are still reading and will finish this marvelous book.

[Dave, "Red Sammy"]

Awe, thanks for your support. I've worked for the BBC on and off for the last 30 years. Strange people. I'm not privately educated so I don't really fit in. A choice between them and Larry McMurty is a no brainer to be honest. And this is a very special book.