Finished: August 16, 2023
Why I read this
When I really got back into reading and was reviewing the already collected Pulitzer Prize winners on my mom’s bookshelf, I remember seeing her copy of Lonesome Dove and thinking “oof that’s a big one, I’ll wait for later”. However, as I waited I kept seeing it on lists of must reads and classic books. Finally it also showed up as the favorite book of my girlfriend’s (now fiancé!) father. With all these built up it moved up to the top of my list and this summer with lots of travel for work and for vacation I decided to finally knock it off my list!
What I learned
it will be much harder to say what I didn’t like than what I liked for this one. Really after the initial setting the characters immediately grab your attention and your interest. I’ve read very few books where the characters felt so real and so human. Beyond the sometimes beautiful and sometimes horrific backdrop of the American West, the thoughts, dreams, struggles, and desires of our mixed cast are immediately relatable. At one point Gus find himself “regretful, nostalgic already for the things he hadn’t particularly cared for but hated to think of losing”. I doubt there is a single reader who couldn’t relate to this.
Moreover the themes and morals were touching and deep. The constant emphasis on living life to the fullest because terrible things can happen in the blink of an eye (the scene with the snakes will stay with me forever) is well placed and impactful, even more so in modern context where we see everyday so much negative news of shootings and disasters.
Another theme I loved was the complexity of love. From Lorena’s immediate fall for Jake Spoon, to the lifelong crush on Clara by Augustus every range of the emotion was felt in the book. Moreover, I really liked the idea that sometimes no matter what you do love simply won’t be reciprocated. You cannot make someone love you.
What I didn’t like
One thing I have found recently many times is that in the forewords written by the authors, or others, for classic books they really like to describe the plot and overall themes. The problem with this is they often give away a lot of the spoilers for the book, and I just a page and a half of forward McMurty does just that! So only advice is to skip the forward and read it after you are finished.
Questions I asked
When do children become adults? Is it age or experiences that make this change?
How are some characters so universally likeable?
What would Augustus McCrae have to say about social media?
My Favorite Quote
“It ain’t dying I’m talking about, it’s living, I doubt it matters where you die, but it matters where you live”
Augustus McCrae
Books I liked like this one
The Goldfinch: Donna Tartt (for it’s human characters and struggles)
Song of Ice and Fire: George R.R. Martin (for a complex story with many main characters and no plot armor)
Book Reviews for Mom 