BBM and Lonesome Dove

[Brown Eyes]

Currently, I'm right in the middle of reading Lonesome Dove!  It's something I've been meaning to do as a good Brokie activity for a long time.  It kind of feels like Brokie homework to me.  But, in a good way.  I'm really pleasantly surprised by how much I like the book so far.  I've never seen the mini-series.  So, in many ways I feel like I'm well behind the times when it comes to Lonesome Dove.  Knowing more about this major piece by McMurtry seems important to understanding the film of BBM though.

I became curious to read it mainly due to various Brokie conversations and even some interviews by McMurtry where it was suggested that there are many similarities between LD and BBM.  The most significant similarity seems to be the examination of intense relationships between men.  When McMurtry says that he "should have written" BBM, I think (and this idea is largely thanks to Katherine here too) he means he wishes or he could have inserted a romantic relationship between cowboys into LD pretty easily, but he didn't go that far.

Anyway, again, I'm only less than half way through the book at the moment.  I'm at about page 350 and my copy is over 900 pages long.  There are lots and lots of things that jump off the page as very familiar to me due to my familiarity with BBM.  And, LOL, sometimes I have a jolt when feeling like McMurtry has somehow inserted a Brokieism into Lonesome Dove.  But, of course the reality is that he instead iserted a "Lonesome Dove-ism" into BBM.  In some ways it feels a bit competitive... like he's inserted his own stamp into the fabric of BBM in terms of the screenplay. 

At least two phrases come to mind (as I sit here at work thinking about this)... one is "not the marrying kind" and the other is "talks a blue streak."  Those two phrases were prominently used in Lonesome Dove.

Also little details, like big hunks of bacon.  The image of Jack hoisting the bacon slab (I think that's what it is) in the scene where he and Ennis are setting up camp on Brokeback... seems to be a little nod to LD.  Slabs of bacon are constantly referenced in LD as a main food staple.

I have another whole theory or idea about the issue of "going to Mexico" in LD vs. in BBM.  But, I'll save that for some future post.


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[Front-Ranger]

I have a copy of the book and have been meaning to read it! This will give me even more impetus! When we were watching the movie together on Saturday, I noticed when Randall said LaShawn "talks a blue streak" and it reminded me of the blue streak of light at the very end of the movie, in between the window and the closet.

I will be very interesting to see what LM says about Mexico. In some of the novels of Cormac McCarthy, a character goes to Mexico and it is a transformative, coming of age experience. I'm thinking chiefly of Cities of the Plain, the third book in his western trilogy that begins with All the Pretty Horses.

Thanks for starting this topic!!

[Brown Eyes]

I have a copy of the book and have been meaning to read it! This will give me even more impetus! When we were watching the movie together on Saturday, I noticed when Randall said LaShawn "talks a blue streak" and it reminded me of the blue streak of light at the very end of the movie, in between the window and the closet.

I will be very interesting to see what LM says about Mexico. In some of the novels of Cormac McCarthy, a character goes to Mexico and it is a transformative, coming of age experience. I'm thinking chiefly of Cities of the Plain, the third book in his western trilogy that begins with All the Pretty Horses.

Thanks for starting this topic!!

Hi Lee!

It would be great if you start reading it! (Nudge, nudge!!!)   I'm really itching to talk to someone about this book.

I don't want to say a lot that's too spoiler-ish here.  But, I have a lot to say about various comparisons!  There's about a hundred years difference between the narrative of BBM and LD... which, is also a hugely fascinating thing when it comes to observations about lifestyles... the meanings of various phrases, etc.  Things that were once necessities that become aesthetic in later time periods, etc.

The book by McMurtry that I might read later down the road is Streets of Laredo.  I'm sure that's another McMurtry-ism that was inserted into BBM.

[belbbmfan]

Thanks Amanda for that interesting review. I haven't read the book, or seen the series. But now, I'm intrigued. I read that his first response when he finished reading Brokeback Mountain was 'I wish I had written that'.

I'll have a look at amazon. See if I can order it.

And LOL at 'brokie homework'!  

[Brown Eyes]

Thanks Amanda for that interesting review. I haven't read the book, or seen the series. But now, I'm intrigued. I read that his first response when he finished reading Brokeback Mountain was 'I wish I had written that'.

I'll have a look at amazon. See if I can order it.

And LOL at 'brokie homework'!  

Oooooooo, it would be great if you can get a copy!  Let's start a "book club"!

[Clyde-B]

OMG!  Amanda's the new Oprah!

[Brown Eyes]

OMG!  Amanda's the new Oprah!

 


So... Clyde, are you going to join the book club?

[David In Indy]

I've seen the series. It was very good btw. I never read the book though. I wasn't even aware there was a book. The next time I'm at the bookstore I'll look for a copy. Even if the book is out of print, we have some used bookstores here, and I might find it there, although I'd rather own a new copy if at all possible.

I'm curious as to how much the series deviated from the book.

[Brown Eyes]

I've seen the series. It was very good btw. I never read the book though. I wasn't even aware there was a book. The next time I'm at the bookstore I'll look for a copy. Even if the book is out of print, we have some used bookstores here, and I might find it there, although I'd rather own a new copy if at all possible.

I'm curious as to how much the series deviated from the book.

Heya David!  It's not out of print.  And, you can usually find really pretty inexpensive mass-media format pocket sized books.  That's the kind I have... it's shaped mostly like a brick because it's so long.

It would be great if you could join the book club!

And, yeah, this is the book for which McMurtry won his Pulitzer Prize.  So, it seems to be the key work to read by him.  Or at least probably the main one to think of first (at least for me) when it comes to comparisons with BBM.

[Clyde-B]

So... Clyde, are you going to join the book club?

I've never been in a book club before, so I don't know how they work.  (Other than buying the book and having snacks and drinks every few weeks.  )

But I've never read "Lonesome Dove" and this sounds like a great excuse!