Remedies: The Writings of Larry McMurtry

Photo by Will Porada on Unsplash

The first Larry McMurty book I remember reading was Cadillac Jack when I was in college. It must have been around 1982. I remember it as a breezy, road novel, dotted with interesting characters and situations. Chances are I’ll read it again soon, along with rereading and reading many other McMurtry titles.

This past summer, I read Lonesome Dove and Streets of Laredo. Both were engrossing tales and wonderful remedies to what could have been a bleak quarantine summer. Later, Susan and I watched the miniseries based on both books. Lonesome Dove was a rewatch from me and I was surprised how much I remembered about the show and how much I enjoyed it again decades after my first watch. Next week, I’ll start reading McMurtry’s first novel, Horseman, Pass By, for the first time.

Larry McMurtry died this week. I’d have felt the loss at any time, but especially now, I feel like I’ve lost one of my quarantine allies. But who am I kidding? Long after the quarantine is over, life will continue to present challenges. And I’ll still need remedies and escapes to help me live with and through them. I expect McMurtry’s works to continue to sustain me long after I’ve had my vaccines and put the masks away.

Thank you, Mr. McMurtry, for your words and stories that provide me comfort from these storms. Long will you ride.

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