Duane's Depressed

Last updated
Duane's Depressed
Author Larry McMurtry
LanguageEnglish
Set inTexas
Publication date
1999
Publication placeUSA
Preceded byTexasville 
Followed byWhen the Light Goes 

Duane's Depressed is a 1999 American novel by Larry McMurtry. [1] McMurtry said it was one of his favorite works. [2]

Contents

It is the third in a series of novels about Duane Moore from The Last Picture Show . McMurtry later wrote, " I never thought of Duane as me. Except for a handful of passages — the chapters in Duane’s Depressed that describe his depression — the books aren’t autobiographical. He doesn’t know what I know, despite having been forced by his analyst to read Proust." [3]

Reception

Kirkus wrote "There’s a scarcity of story here, but McMurtry obviously enjoys these folks so much he can’t resist hanging out with them for 400-plus pages. You probably won’t be able to either." [4]

The New York Times wrote that:

Duane's Depressed is guilty of neither the self-indulgence nor the sentimentality a less poised writer than McMurtry might have allowed himself in the last book of a trilogy he had lived with for so many years. Indeed, he proves again that he is as clear-eyed a writer as anyone in the business. He understands counterpoint wonderfully, knows when to balance pathos with humor, irony with admiration. But he does allow himself to get away with some things he shouldn't. At times the book's plot seems forced: certain deaths happen too neatly, as if McMurtry felt the need to leave a tidy house behind at trilogy's end. [5]

Related Research Articles

<i>The Last Picture Show</i> 1971 film by Peter Bogdanovich

The Last Picture Show is a 1971 American coming-of-age drama film directed and co-written by Peter Bogdanovich, adapted from the semi-autobiographical 1966 novel of the same name by Larry McMurtry. The film's ensemble cast includes Timothy Bottoms, Jeff Bridges, Ellen Burstyn, Ben Johnson, Cloris Leachman, and Cybill Shepherd. Set in a small town in northern Texas from November 1951 to October 1952, it is a story of two high-school seniors and long-time friends, Sonny Crawford (Bottoms) and Duane Jackson (Bridges).

<i>Lonesome Dove</i> 1985 novel by Larry McMurtry

Lonesome Dove is a 1985 Western novel by American writer Larry McMurtry. It is the first published book of the Lonesome Dove series and the third installment in the series chronologically. It was a bestseller and won the 1986 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. In 1989, it was adapted as a TV miniseries starring Tommy Lee Jones and Robert Duvall, which won both critical and popular acclaim. McMurtry went on to write a sequel, Streets of Laredo (1993), and two prequels, Dead Man's Walk (1995) and Comanche Moon (1997), all of which were also adapted as TV series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Larry McMurtry</span> American novelist (1936–2021)

Larry Jeff McMurtry was an American novelist, essayist, and screenwriter whose work was predominantly set in either the Old West or contemporary Texas. His novels included Horseman, Pass By (1962), The Last Picture Show (1966), and Terms of Endearment (1975), which were adapted into films. Films adapted from McMurtry's works earned 34 Oscar nominations. He was also a prominent book collector and bookseller.

<i>Lovin Molly</i> 1974 film by Sidney Lumet

Lovin' Molly is a 1974 American drama film directed by Sidney Lumet and starring Anthony Perkins, Beau Bridges, Blythe Danner in the title role, Ed Binns, and Susan Sarandon. The film is based on one of Larry McMurtry's first novels, Leaving Cheyenne (1963). Prior to release, the film was also known as Molly, Gid, and Johnny and The Wild and The Sweet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don Winslow</span> American writer

Don Winslow is an American author best known for his crime novels including Savages, The Force and the Cartel Trilogy.

<i>Horseman, Pass By</i> 1961 novel by Larry McMurtry

Horseman, Pass By is a 1961 Western novel by American writer Larry McMurtry. McMurtry's debut novel, it portrays life on a cattle ranch from the perspective of young narrator Lonnie Bannon. Set in Texas in 1954, the Bannon ranch is owned by Lonnie's grandfather, Homer Bannon. Homer's ruthless stepson, Hud, stands as the primary antagonist of the novel. The novel was adapted into the screenplay for the 1963 film Hud, starring Paul Newman as the title character.

All My Friends Are Going to Be Strangers is a 1972 American novel by Larry McMurtry. It was his fifth novel.

Moving On is a 1970 American novel by Larry McMurtry. It focuses on Patsy Carpenter and her husband Jim in contemporary Texas.

Anything for Billy is a 1988 American novel by Larry McMurtry about Billy the Kid.

Terms of Endearment is a 1975 American novel by Larry McMurtry. It was his sixth novel and was adapted into a popular 1983 film.

Texasville is a 1987 American novel by Larry McMurtry. It is a sequel to his earlier The Last Picture Show and features several of the same characters a number of years later.

Rhino Ranch is a 2009 American novel by Larry McMurtry.

When the Light Goes is a 2007 American novel by Larry McMurtry.

Some Can Whistle is a 1989 American novel by Larry McMurtry. It is a sequel to All My Friends Are Going To Be Strangers. McMurtry admits there was some uncertainty from the earlier novel whether the lead character died but he "put to rest the vexed question of Danny Deck’s survival" by writing a sequel.

Somebody's Darling is a 1978 American novel by Larry McMurtry. It was his first Hollywood novel and in 2005 he called it his "worst book".

Telegraph Days is a 2006 American novel by Larry McMurtry.

Loop Group is a 2005 American novel by Larry McMurtry. It is one of his favorite novels.

Cadillac Jack is a 1982 American novel by Larry McMurtry. He called it his "book about scouting" inspired by his years as a book scout.

The Desert Rose is a 1983 novel by Larry McMurtry about a Las Vegas showgirl.

The Late Child is a 1995 American novel by Larry McMurtry. It is a sequel to The Desert Rose.

References

  1. ↑ Harris, Michael (January 5, 1999). "'Duane's Depressed' by Larry McMurtry". Los Angeles Times.
  2. ↑ McMurtry 2010 p 47
  3. ↑ McMutry, 2009, p 167
  4. ↑ Review of Duane's Depressed at Kirkus
  5. ↑ "Happy Trails". New York Times. 21 February 1999.

Notes

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.