Feb 27

Feb 27 Larry McMurtry's “BUFFALO GIRLS”

This is a book about change, death, and dying. The human characters exist against the backdrop of an already vanished Old West, where the buffalo and beaver are gone, famous Indian battles are distant memories, and western myths are kept alive by shrewd entrepreneurs who stage "Wild West Shows," with real people reenacting cowboys-and-Indians drama.

The story follows a small group of aging characters who are trying—and in most cases, failing—to adapt to these changes. Some, like Calamity Jane herself, have friends but no visible means of support, and as a result, spend much of their time wandering or drinking.

Fortunately, the friendships portrayed in the novel sustain the reader’s interest as we watch these characters trudge along, attempting—or often refusing—to adjust to a world that is shifting beneath their feet.

Some, like Calamity Jane, construct a world where, while they cherish memories of "the old days," they recognize that those days are gone. They feel lost but take comfort in the relationships they still have with their remaining friends.

Others, like Dora, retreat into domestic peace while longing for unattainable relationships and some form of security. Still others, like the old Indian No Ears, spend their days contemplating their connection to the people, places, and things around them—including the spirit world.

This is the first book by Larry McMurtry I've ever read. Friends insist I must read Lonesome Dove next. I'll add it to my list, of course, but I must say I have been very impressed with Buffalo Girls. It is certainly not a "traditional" Western—if such a thing even exists—but it does evoke a deep nostalgia for times, places, and people that may be gone but still echo into the present day.