Erin's Great American Read: Lonesome Dove

Erin talks about her favorite book on PBS the Great American Read list: Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry.

"Hello, I am Erin Apostolos, director of the Meredith public library in New Hampshire and I hope that everyone has had a chance to check out the Great American Read on PBS.  America selected their top 100 novels and you can vote for your favorite now through October 17.  Go to PBS.org to learn more.

I was thrilled to see that my all-time favorite novel, Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry is one of the top 100.  Published in 1985 it won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1986.  Captains Woodrow Call and Gus McCrae were once famous Texas Rangers but have been retired for over a decade on a small and unsuccessful farm in Texas in the late 1870’s.  When an old friend returns with wild tales of the beautiful state of Montana, Call, tired of retirement, decides it’s time to have an adventure, pick up stakes and start over as a rancher in Montana.   Gus, content to sit on his porch, is less interested until he is enticed by the opportunity to see his long lost love on the way to Montana. 

The relationship between Gus and Call to me is the heart of the story.  Long time friends who have shared years of adventures together, they couldn’t be more opposite.  Call is hard, unlikeable and unbending while Gus is outgoing, friendly and reasonable.  But both are tough as nails and unshakable in their loyalty to each other.  Their love for each other shows in their verbal sparring throughout the story which can leave you laughing out loud at one moment then sobbing into your tissue at the next.  During their long trip to Montana they face hardship, troubles and loss that challenge their close friendship.  There are also many side-stories that drive the plot including murder, kidnap, betrayal, romance, and gossip about one young cowboy being Call’s son.  Once you start, you will not be able to put it down.  And once you finish it, be sure to take home the Golden Globe award winning mini-series starring Tommy Lee Jones as Call and Robert Duvall as Gus or read one of the exciting prequels or sequel.  Vote Lonesome Dove!"