my older sister was in college studying english lit when i was in middle school picking up Big Girl Books for the first time, and she instilled a deep love for Reading The Extra Stuff in me. i appreciate her for that.
i tutor high school english and i always tell the kids "before you go looking up sparknotes try the one that's literally in the front of your book it will explain everything
I love the banner. Thanks Phil. I read this book only once back in 1985 when it was released and before you and most of your readers were born. I look forward to re-reading it with you. Some tips for first timers:
1) Pay attention to the age of each character and McMurtry's description. His characters are so unique, and age definitely matters. When I first read the book, I was close in age to Dish Baggett and July Johnson. Now I am the same age as Call and Gus!
2) Keep a map handy and refer to it often. It's helpful to understand the sheer scope of their journey but also the little things like how many rivers need to be crossed along the way, the sparseness of the population, and the landmarks they see along the way.
3) Do not get hung up on the derogatory terms used for women and native Americans. This is a cowboy book and recounts the story from a cowboy's perspective. It is not politically correct.
4) Don't get bogged down by the lengthy description of the pigs and rattlesnakes in the first few pages. When I first read the book, I was worried that the entire book would be like that. In retrospect, that section was very short, but it set the tone beautifully.
i got a head start and fancy myself a fast reader but there’s no chance in hell as gus might say i’m keeping up with this schedule. this is not a complain so much as an admittance to myself so i become comfortable with the idea of letting myself down
some fan club names i’m thinking about: jake spooners, gus girls, lori lovers
what's so funny about the preface is that there's a major spoiler in it that really pissed me off but then i read the whole book and what he spoiled in the preface like....never actually happened?? so i don't know what's going on there - kept expecting something that just never occurred. almost MORE annoying tbh! note to FMMM (fran mag mcmurtry may) joiners: it reads easy and you'll have fun! don't be afraid to bring the tome on the train.
Anyone who is worried about the length––this book reads the fastest/easiest of any Fran book club book by far. Even if you don't really consider yourself "a big reader" I promise you can handle this one it goes down like water.
Also, PSA: the author's preface in the 2010 Simon Shuster edition has some pretty major plot spoilers, so I recommend skipping it
I started prepping by renting it from the library! Unfortunately comic deadlines thru a wrench in my reading schedule and the due date came faster than I expected (surely another eager book club member)-so I've ordered it from the Astoria bookshop-hopefully it wont take too long to catch up!
And wish I had read this before foolishly diving into the preface...
I'm excited to participate in my first Fran Mag May. I've also declared it Summer of Swamp Thing as I dive into Alan Moore's '80s run on the character, one of his few comic runs I've yet to read. It's great! Episodic horror with environmental themes, occasional superhero antics, and droll British irony.
I feel like I’m the only person who was traumatized by the level of violence in Lonesome Dove. Like it’s good, but it’s way way more upsetting than any McCarthy or American Psycho.
I started it early so I can make sure to keep up! There have been so many laugh out loud moments and descriptions so far. My favorite is how often they talk or think about smacking other people upside the head with a pistol 🤭
Not to brag but I've already read 13 chapters... but famously I am starting a business and going to Cannes concurrently so we'll see how the month of May treats ability to spend time with my new friend Newt of Lonesome Dove, TX
If you are reading this and have not yet read Lonesome Dove, I want to echo what Fran mentioned - DON'T READ THE PREFACE!!! McMurtry casually mentions the emotional climax of the book and basically puts into text the central theme of the book which is slowly revealed and not something I would've liked to know prior to reading. It's a long book so I generally forgot the spoiler throughout, but given the timeline in which we are trying to read this, I would strongly recommend visiting the preface immediately after you've finished the book (and wiped the tears from your eyes).
Half the reason why I'm spoiler agnostic is because my memory is NOT good enough to retain that information by the time I engage with whatever information I already knew... but still: I'm skipping the preface!
This feels appropriate having just seen CABARET w/ Orville Peck over the weekend. I am here for Fran Magazine's full-on conversion into a western living style and cat-care periodical.
Thanks for the banner Phil.
I think the book reads better when you put on cowboy boots, lean back in a chair and kick your feet up on a desk.
can confirm the mcmurtry preface has, like, a HUMONGOUS spoiler. so if you get upset at spoilers avoid at all costs lmao. super excited fran!!
i'm really learning that people actually read the preface, i thought i was the only one
my older sister was in college studying english lit when i was in middle school picking up Big Girl Books for the first time, and she instilled a deep love for Reading The Extra Stuff in me. i appreciate her for that.
i tutor high school english and i always tell the kids "before you go looking up sparknotes try the one that's literally in the front of your book it will explain everything
I love the banner. Thanks Phil. I read this book only once back in 1985 when it was released and before you and most of your readers were born. I look forward to re-reading it with you. Some tips for first timers:
1) Pay attention to the age of each character and McMurtry's description. His characters are so unique, and age definitely matters. When I first read the book, I was close in age to Dish Baggett and July Johnson. Now I am the same age as Call and Gus!
2) Keep a map handy and refer to it often. It's helpful to understand the sheer scope of their journey but also the little things like how many rivers need to be crossed along the way, the sparseness of the population, and the landmarks they see along the way.
3) Do not get hung up on the derogatory terms used for women and native Americans. This is a cowboy book and recounts the story from a cowboy's perspective. It is not politically correct.
4) Don't get bogged down by the lengthy description of the pigs and rattlesnakes in the first few pages. When I first read the book, I was worried that the entire book would be like that. In retrospect, that section was very short, but it set the tone beautifully.
I think there could stand to be MORE pigs so far.
i got a head start and fancy myself a fast reader but there’s no chance in hell as gus might say i’m keeping up with this schedule. this is not a complain so much as an admittance to myself so i become comfortable with the idea of letting myself down
some fan club names i’m thinking about: jake spooners, gus girls, lori lovers
i love these guys
I knew a guy named Tom Spooner in Chicago
that is awesome
spoon goons
THIS!!!!!!
Call Girls
and Pea Eye Guys
this is the best one
if i went to a Lonesome Dove trivia night i'd name my team Send Newts
WOWWWWWW
pig renters?
YES
what's so funny about the preface is that there's a major spoiler in it that really pissed me off but then i read the whole book and what he spoiled in the preface like....never actually happened?? so i don't know what's going on there - kept expecting something that just never occurred. almost MORE annoying tbh! note to FMMM (fran mag mcmurtry may) joiners: it reads easy and you'll have fun! don't be afraid to bring the tome on the train.
I think the preface was written after Streets of Laredo, if that helps with your spoiler confusion.
it does! thank you!
Anyone who is worried about the length––this book reads the fastest/easiest of any Fran book club book by far. Even if you don't really consider yourself "a big reader" I promise you can handle this one it goes down like water.
Also, PSA: the author's preface in the 2010 Simon Shuster edition has some pretty major plot spoilers, so I recommend skipping it
Thanks for the banner phil.
I started prepping by renting it from the library! Unfortunately comic deadlines thru a wrench in my reading schedule and the due date came faster than I expected (surely another eager book club member)-so I've ordered it from the Astoria bookshop-hopefully it wont take too long to catch up!
And wish I had read this before foolishly diving into the preface...
Prefaces and intros are out of control!!!! A book I read a few months ago just explained the whole ending in the intro...
preface got me too :( i feel validated not to be the only one though
breaking into a can of beans
Kind of a classic meal no matter the circumstances
I'm excited to participate in my first Fran Mag May. I've also declared it Summer of Swamp Thing as I dive into Alan Moore's '80s run on the character, one of his few comic runs I've yet to read. It's great! Episodic horror with environmental themes, occasional superhero antics, and droll British irony.
summer of swamp thing is such a good idea....
I will surely be muttering it to myself next time I sweat through my shirt
Wow. I had a big McMurtry phase in my 20s (now 40), where reading this was true bliss (all things considered). Glad he is still in the culture!
I feel like I’m the only person who was traumatized by the level of violence in Lonesome Dove. Like it’s good, but it’s way way more upsetting than any McCarthy or American Psycho.
I started it early so I can make sure to keep up! There have been so many laugh out loud moments and descriptions so far. My favorite is how often they talk or think about smacking other people upside the head with a pistol 🤭
Not to brag but I've already read 13 chapters... but famously I am starting a business and going to Cannes concurrently so we'll see how the month of May treats ability to spend time with my new friend Newt of Lonesome Dove, TX
Yay!!!
If you are reading this and have not yet read Lonesome Dove, I want to echo what Fran mentioned - DON'T READ THE PREFACE!!! McMurtry casually mentions the emotional climax of the book and basically puts into text the central theme of the book which is slowly revealed and not something I would've liked to know prior to reading. It's a long book so I generally forgot the spoiler throughout, but given the timeline in which we are trying to read this, I would strongly recommend visiting the preface immediately after you've finished the book (and wiped the tears from your eyes).
Half the reason why I'm spoiler agnostic is because my memory is NOT good enough to retain that information by the time I engage with whatever information I already knew... but still: I'm skipping the preface!
i think the mcnally jackson clerk should have considered the force of FRAN MAGAZINE in moving copies this year…
THIS. “Don’t you know who you’re speaking to…”
This feels appropriate having just seen CABARET w/ Orville Peck over the weekend. I am here for Fran Magazine's full-on conversion into a western living style and cat-care periodical.