Unlike many people, I didn’t grow up watching Westerns. Sure, the occasional John Wayne film may have passed by me, but it was a genre my family never got all that into. While I didn’t know what I was missing out on then, I do now and am making up for lost time with Western novels. And I have to admit, the literature has not disappointed.
Filled with beautiful archetypes and snapshots into American history, this genre holds raw, timeless truths and inspires the reader towards goodness, courage and resilience. Not to mention, there is often high-paced action, gritty reality and the thrill of adventure that keeps it incredibly gripping. The book that most recently captivated me was “Lonesome Dove” by Larry McMurtry.
Written in 1985, it’s no wonder “Lonesome Dove” won a Pulitzer Prize, became a best-selling novel and got adapted into a mini-series, all before 1990. McMurtry’s writing is one of those rare styles that bring stories to life and swallow you whole. You can’t put it down and you don’t want it to end. Even more than that, the plot is well-constructed and the characters are lovable and dynamic. “Lonesome Dove” was such a hit, McMurtry continued to write a sequel (which I’m currently reading), and two prequels.
Set in the days when the Wild West was getting tamed, the novel follows the lives of many characters, but primarily two Texas rangers: Woodrow Call and Gus McCrae. Though known throughout the land for their famous adventures, Call and Gus have retired in the small Texan town, Lonesome Dove, where they run a cattle and livery company. Life is predictable there, and both Call and Gus seem content with that.
That is, until an old friend arrives in town, on the lam for accidentally killing an Arkansas dentist. Jake Spoon, another former Ranger, hasn’t settled down like Gus and Call, and instead is still traveling and gambling throughout the West. He tells of the untouched Montana territory, rich and ripe for the taking, and Call is soon determined to stake a claim out there with his cattle. If they make it, they will be one of the first herders in the region and could make a fortune. Gus is not so keen on the idea until he realizes their route will pass through Nebraska, where his old lover, Clara, lives.
Soon, they’ve got a company gathered and head north. The journey that follows paints a beautiful, wild picture of the changing environments of American states and the life of a cowboy. Detailed descriptions of cattling techniques, surviving on the land and maintaining justice and order in lawless areas bring this era to life, making the reader feel like another character in the scene.
A theme that continues to surface throughout the novel is, what I believe to be, a uniquely American one: risk and responsibility. The free, adventurous spirit that founded our country and expanded the West confronted much intensity and danger. It took great strength, bravery, perseverance, and belief in goodness. Like Call and Gus, many men left behind the comfort and security of towns for the unknown frontier, where they could embark on a new venture and embrace their pursuit of property and happiness.
Of course, not all the decisions made in their journey are prudent or good, and the fallout from bad or unwise decisions can never be totally avoided. The more the characters develop, the more the reader sees the weight of decision, and even simply the weight of reality. Characters face extremes like losing limbs, sudden deaths or the ruthlessness of nature, and each must make decisions. The best of intentions, and even their good choices, don’t always protect them from negative consequences.
Yet, the characters with integrity embrace the effects. While some take responsibility and others shirk it, what remains unavoidable is consequences, and I find this to add a refreshingly realistic note to the novel. There are times in life when decisions may not yield the wanted results, but that doesn’t make it wrong nor should it be a deterrent from doing the right thing. Any decision comes with risk, and with that comes responsibility. What is so inspiring about the West is their refusal to let risk mitigation determine their choices, while also taking personal responsibility for the outcomes.
“Lonesome Dove” didn’t just keep my attention, it took over my life for a couple weeks. Having read this alongside my friends for book club, I know I’m not alone in that either. All 10 of us were caught up in McMurtry’s story: taken out of daily life and cast into a cattle drive headed for Montana.
Join the cowboys this summer. If you’re like me and my friends, you’ll immediately order the sequel and prequels of this saga once you finish the first. And then lament over the fact you don’t have a horse.
(Anna Barren is teacher and a lifelong lover of books.)