Texasville (novel)

Last updated
Texasville (
Author Larry McMurtry
LanguageEnglish
Set inTexas
Publication date
1987
Publication placeUSA
Preceded byThe Last Picture Show 
Followed byDuane's Depressed 

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. [1]

The novel was filmed in 1988.

There were three more sequels: Duane's Depressed , When the Light Goes and Rhino Ranch: A Novel . 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." [2]

McMurtry wrote "it centered on the famous oil boom of the 70s, which described the excesses of human folly as I witnessed them in Archer City and the homes of my siblings as the irresistible notion of riches came to race through and desiccate the town, all despite that the history of booms is well known. " [3] He added, "I thought the whole bust to boom and back to bust was hilarious and so described it in Texasville. I don’t think it’s much of a novel." [4]

However, McMurtry said "The book did fairly well, mainly because it came close on the heels of Lonesome Dove." [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.

<i>Texasville</i> 1990 American drama film by Peter Bogdanovich

Texasville is a 1990 American drama film written and directed by Peter Bogdanovich. Based on the 1987 novel Texasville by Larry McMurtry, it is a sequel to The Last Picture Show (1971), and features Jeff Bridges, Cybill Shepherd, Cloris Leachman, Timothy Bottoms, Randy Quaid, and Eileen Brennan reprising their roles from the original film.

Thalia is an unincorporated community in Foard County in the northern part of the U.S. state of Texas. In 1990, the population was 104. Its name was given to the town portrayed in a number of Larry McMurtry's novels, including his first novel, Horseman, Pass By (1961). McMurtry's "Thalia" is widely considered to be modeled on his own North Texas hometown of Archer City, about 60 miles from Thalia.

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

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.

Rhino Ranch is a 2009 American novel by Larry McMurtry.

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

The Evening Star is a 1992 American novel by Larry McMurtry. It follows on from Terms of Endearment.

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".

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. Prewitt, Taylor (July 24, 2020). "Texas Monthly Recommends: Larry McMurtry's 'Texasville'". Texas Monthly.
  2. McMutry, 2009, p 167
  3. McMutry, 2010, p 72
  4. McMutry, 2010, p 73
  5. McMurtry 2009 p 106

Notes