Larry McMurtry, celebrated author of numerous novels and screenplays set mostly in the Old West west or contemporary Texas, has passed away at the age of 84. His work, including “Lonesome Dove,” “The Last Picture Show,” “Terms of Endearment,” and “Brokeback Mountain,” received both popular and critical acclaim.
Books were scarce in McMurtry’s early years on his family’s Texas ranch, but oral storytelling was a nightly experience as extended family gathered on the front porch to swap tales. When a cousin on his way to enlist in WWII left a boxful of adventure books and dime store novels, McMurtry devoured them in short order and started down a path of avid readership.
After earning degrees from the University of North Texas (B.A. 1958) and Rice University (M.A. 1960), McMurtry taught college-level English for a number of years while nourishing his own career as a writer.
His work is especially noted for its colorful characters and rich, memorable dialogue. Speaking of “Lonesome Dove,” McMurtry explained in a 2014 Associated Press interview that it “was an effort to kind of demythologize the myth of the Old West.” But, he added, “They’re going to twist it into something romantic no matter what you do.”
Source: AP