Julie's Journal : Naomi Novik

It's been awhile, but sometimes I like to profile an author whose books I've really enjoyed.  This one may be a little out there for those of you who read this blog regularly.  Naomi Novik is a fantasy writer whose stories are rooted in fairy tales and magical myths.  I first discovered her several years ago when I read her stand-alone novel Uprooted, and it remains my favorite of her work.  

Uprooted is the story of Agnieszka.  She lives in a small village in a valley next to a malevolent Wood.  She is chosen to live with the Dragon, the wizard who keeps the Wood at bay.  He discovers in her an affinity for magic, although they clash regularly about the different methods they use to wield their power.  Eventually the Wood must be dealt with permanently if the valley and the entire kingdom are to survive.  I love the feel of this book.  Agnieszka is untidy and clumsy and practical and her magic is similar.  The Dragon is precise and ordered and wants his magic to work the same way.  Reading about them figuring each other out and how to work together is fun.     

More recently, I have been reading Novik's dark Scholomance
series.  I wasn't familiar with the legend of Romania's school of black magic called Scholomance, but Novik takes a few elements of her story from it.  In the first book, A Deadly Education, El is in her junior year.  In this world, young wizards are constantly being attacked by malefeceria, monsters that want to eat them for their mana.  Mana is the magical energy that all sorcerers use.  The school gives the students a 1 in 4 chance of surviving to adulthood (much improved over the odds outside the school) where they are much better prepared to protect themselves.  El's great-grandmother prophesied that she would become a great dark wizard and destroy the world and El is determined not to fulfill the prophecy.  I like El because she is grumpy and surly and unfriendly, but still determined to do the right thing, even to her own detriment.  I finished the second book, The Last Graduate, this week and the ending was SHOCKING!  Now I have to wait an eternity for the last book in the series to be released.  

Novik's older series, Temeraire, is an alternate history of the Napoleonic Wars.  Now, to be honest, I didn't read this series for a long time even though I had enjoyed her other work because I just wasn't really interested in the Napoleonic Wars.  I still have only read the first two in the series, but I enjoyed them very much.  The story follows a British ship captain, William Laurence.  When he captures another ship, he finds on board a dragon's egg very close to hatching.  When a dragon hatches, whoever it accepts a harness from becomes its handler.  Of course, to his dismay, Captain Laurence is chosen. He names the dragon Temeraire and must leave his ship and report to a training camp to learn how to become a handler.  The first book, His Majesty's Dragon, follows their training and their first battle.  After the battle, it is revealed that Temeraire is in fact a Celestial dragon.  His egg was a gift from China to France and China is not very happy that he was intercepted.  The second book, Throne of Jade, follows them as they travel to China and learn about Temeraire's origins.  

Novik's other stand-alone novel, Spinning Silver, is not my favorite, although from the reviews on Goodreads, I am in the minority.  It is a loose play on the fairy tale of Rumpelstiltskin.  When Miryem has some success in business she brags that she can turn silver into gold.  Unfortunately her boast is overheard by fae and she is forced to marry their king.  As I said, I didn't particularly enjoy this book so my memory on the details is fuzzy.  Since I have enjoyed all of Novik's other work, I may need to revisit it soon and see if it improves for me on a second reading.  

Julie's Journal : Franklin County Library Patron Favorites 2021

2021 has proven to be another eventful year.  From Snowmageddon in February to extended electrical work on the library in November and December, the year has been full of disruptions and disarray.  We are beginning to work on our calendar of events for 2022 and are hoping for a fun, but more predictable year.

I always enjoy looking back at the past year to see what items have been most popular with our patrons.  I like to look at several areas of the library.  Here's what I found for 2021.

New Releases:

1.  Sooley, by John Grisham

2.  The Four Winds, by Kristin Hannah

3.  A Time For Mercy, by John Grisham

4.  The Coast-to-Coast Murders, by James Patterson

5.  Win, by Harlan Coben

DVD's:

1.  News of the World

2.  Wonder Woman 1984

3.  Wild Mountain Thyme

4.  The Croods : A New Age

5.  Barbie and Her Sisters in a Pony Tale

Early Readers:

1.  An Elephant & Piggie Biggie, by Mo Willems

2.  Twinkle, by Katherine Holabird

3.  Pete the Cat Storybook Favorites, by James Dean

4.  Waiting is Not Easy : Elephant & Piggie, by Mo Willems

5.  Please, Mr. Panda, by Steve Antony

Juvenile and Youth:

1.  Eva at the Beach : Owl Diaries, by Rebecca Elliott

2.  The Princess in Black and the Perfect Princess Party, by Shannon Hale

3.  Judy Moody Was in a Mood, by Megan McDonald

4.  Eva's Treetop Festival : Owl Diaries, by Rebecca Elliott

5.  The Deep End : Diary of a Wimpy Kid, by Jeff Kinney

Young Adult

1.  The Selection, by Kiera Cass

2.  The Gender Game, by Bella Forrest

3.  We Were Liars, by E. Lockhart

4.  Slammed, by Colleen Hoover

5.  Six of Crows, by Leigh Bardugo

Non-Fiction

1.  Til Murder Do Us Part, by James Patterson

2.  The New Frontier : The Pioneer Woman Cooks, by Ree Drummond

3.  Killing the Mob, by Bill O'Reilly

4.  Herb Gardening in Texas, by Sol Meltzer

5.  What's Your Story, by Brandon Doman

Biography

1.  Greenlights, by Matthew McConaughey

2.  Just As I Am, by Cicely Tyson

3.  Everything is Fine, by Vince Granata

4.  My Southern Journey, by Rick Bragg

5.  Where I Come From, by Rick Bragg

Patron Picks : Ellen Eggleston

In addition to Staff Picks, I have asked a few patrons to let us feature their recommendations.  If you would like your picks featured, contact Julie at jbaxter@co.franklin.tx.us or 903-537-4916. 

Ellen's November Picks

From Julie : Ellen is my mom and she recommends books to me all the time.  Sometimes she recommends them because she enjoyed them and other times, just because she found a situation or character in a book unbelievable.  I never go wrong when I read something she recommends!

The Wrong Family by Tarryn Fisher

This book is a thriller with many unexpected twists.  I enjoyed the way the author gradually revealed Juno's situation.  It gave me many things to think about such as, "Do past mistakes haunt us the rest of our lives? Can a person who hasn't been homeless really understand the difficulties?"

The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict

All of Benedict's books have been very interesting.  I've gained insight into the historical women she writes about and the mores of the time period in which they lived.

Game On : Tempting Twenty-Eight by Janet Evanovich

Game on is a fun and fast read if you are looking for something light.  Stephanie Plum is a bail bonds enforcement agent.  She and her sidekick, Lula, have all kinds of mishaps trying to apprehend fugitives who are FTA - Failure to Appear.  In this latest Stephanie Plum book, a group of small-time hackers known as the Baked Potatoes are turning up dead.  She is after the dangerous criminal believed to be responsible.  Evanovich has a new series coming out next spring that looks interesting too.  It will feature Gabriella Rose as a recovery agent looking for lost treasures.

Staff Picks : Jeltje

 Jeltje's November Picks

Switch by A.S. King

This book was a difficult read to get started into, but just make it through the first few chapters and I feel like you will get used to the train-of-thought writing style. You follow the thoughts and feelings of Truda Becker, a teenager in high school with a strange home life and in a world where time has stopped since June 23, 2020. The world is trying to cope with the time standing still and they add finding solutions to that issue to the school curriculum. Besides that, life does go on. At home, her mother has left the family, a sister who is never named is off to college but she apparently has made a very negative impact on the whole family, the brother is unable to work through his emotions related to the trauma done by their sister, Truda shows signs of anxiety and depression and their dad constructs larger and larger boxes around a switch that is in the middle of the house which no one knows what it does. The book is strange, but I think the underlying messages have to do with getting through emotional trauma, loving family, trusting people and living your own life as a teenager or even as an adult instead of accepting what other people expect of you or try to make you believe.

 

The Unkindness of Ravens by M.E. Hilliard

Apparently, a group of Ravens is called an Unkindness. In “The Unkindness of Ravens,” we follow the lead character, Greer Hogan, who is a librarian and it starts with her discovering the body of her only friend in the town of Raven Hill on the roof of the library. Not long ago, she also discovered the dead body of her husband, so she keeps this in mind and tries to solve the murder and other mysteries connected to the library so she isn’t considered a suspect and also justice for her friend. Most characters may just wait for the police to investigate, but she does her own investigating which also puts in her danger. As she is trying to piece together the mystery and the town’s inhabitants’ histories, she is still wrestling with her husband’s death, being an outsider, small town politics, and her own secrets.

 

The Printed Letter Bookshop by Katherine Reay

Madeline Cullen’s aunt, whom she was named after, was a free-spirited and caring woman who had a bookshop in a small town that she left to her niece. This is a surprise to everyone since, even though they are family, they hadn’t seen each other for years. Yes, this is another case of assuming something about a person and then losing the opportunity to spend time with them because you think they did something negative. Besides the bookshop, Aunt Maddie also left a note with a booklist which guides Madeline during this time, but the relationships she has with the two people left working at the bookstore (seemingly opposite women who we also get perspectives from), a new unexpected mentor, a man also in a crossroads situation like her, and the people in the small town of Winsome change her outlook on life and her relationships with the people she cares about. There is strife and bad things happen, but this book makes you feel good when you finish!

Staff Picks : Christian

 Christian's October Picks

Blind Tiger, by Sandra Brown—This book takes place in during the Prohibition in a small Texas town, rife with moonshiners and bootlegging.  Enter Thatcher Hutton whose amble into town seems to be the catalyst for dramatic changes to this “quiet” little berg.  Murder. Liquor wars. Suspense. It’s a good read!

 

Home, by Ellen DeGeneres – Join Ellen on a funny and enlightening tour of several of the homes she has lived in over her career.  Funny. Beautifully photographed.  Well thought out.

 

Forgotten in Death: In Death #53, by J.D. Robb –The latest in Robb’s Eve Dallas series.  It has the usual “can’t put it down” quality of this series.  Murders to be solved.  Tough choices to make.  Unbreakable bonds of “family” both at work and at home.  Love these books!  For fans of this series, this one does not disappoint.  For those who are new to it, “try it you’ll like it!’

Staff Picks : Julie

 Julie's October Picks

The Girls in the Stilt House, by Kelly Mustian - Ada is white and Matilda is black living in Mississippi during the 1920's. Both are living very harsh lives, but for different reasons. They come together when Matilda saves Ada's life by killing Ada's father. The book has been advertised as being similar to Where the Crawdad's Sing and I agree that it has some of the same feel. My only issue with the book is it seems like everything that could possibly go wrong does, especially for Matilda. Realistically, maybe only a few of those bad things would happen at one time. I enjoyed the story, though, and was happy with the resolution.

The Madness of Crowds, by Louise Penny - I read this on the recommendation of my mom - she's pretty reliable in giving good recommendations! A speaker with controversial ideas about eugenics is speaking at a small university. When an attempt is made on her life, Inspector Gamache must try to figure out the ins and outs of what happened while putting aside his own disgust with her ideas. While this is the most recent book in the Inspector Gamache series, it is the first I have read. I have the first one on hold now on Libby so I can go back and read the series from the beginning.

The Lights of Sugarberry Cove, by Heather Webber - Sadie, her sister Leala, and their mother are struggling with their relationships with each other and with their significant others. They live around a lake and the festival of lanterns where everyone in town makes a wish is soon. I have enjoyed all of Heather Webber's books. They all have fun small town settings and a hint of magic.

Patron Picks : Donna Hill

*In addition to Staff Picks, I have asked a few patrons to let us feature their recommendations. If you would like your picks featured, contact Julie at jbaxter@co.franklin.tx.us or 903-537-4916

Donna's October Picks

Still Life by Louise Penny is the first in a series of mysteries involving Inspector Armand Gamache of the Surete du Quebec.  Ms. Penny has created an engaging set of characters, starting with Inspector Gamache.  Each book has a different, unique murder mystery to be solved by Gamache and his underlings and friends.  The books definitely should be read in order because the characters develop and change over the course of the series.  I believe there are currently 17 books featuring Inspector Gamache.

 

Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear is also the first in a series of British mysteries.  The heroine, Maisie Dobbs, "psychologist and investigator", is the daughter of a common laborer who rises above her humble beginnings.  Another series that needs to be read in order, the Maisie Dobbs books feature an engaging young woman who goes about solving mysteries and achieving success unusual to her time and place in society.  Ms. Winspear does an excellent job of conveying time and place, the England of post WWI and later.

 

The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown is a non-fiction novel that relates the story of the eight-oar rowing crew from the University of Washington who managed to win the gold medal at the 1936 Olympics.  The story of the young men on the crew is inspiring, to say the least.  These were hard working, tough young men who grew up in families working to survive.  In a sport that was dominated by elite athletes from schools in the New England, they fought to become a skilled team that could win the Olympics.  While the author includes a lot of technical details about boat building, the real story is the grit and determination exhibited by the young men on the team.

 

The Flight Girls by Noelle Salazar is an inspiring novel of the young women who joined the Women’s Airforce Service Pilot (WASP) organization during WWII.  At a time when few women worked outside the home, these intrepid women came from all over the United States to train at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, TX.  Having been to Sweetwater, TX I can only imagine what culture shock these women faced when they arrived from places like New York and California.  These female pilots tested aircraft, ferried aircraft, and trained other pilots.  The novel does have a love story and it’s a good one. 

Patron Picks : Kate Dennis

In addition to Staff Picks, I have asked a few patrons to let us feature their recommendations.  If you would like your picks featured, contact Julie at jbaxter@co.franklin.tx.us or 903-537-4916.   

Kate's September Picks

Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess by Dr. Caroline Leaf is a self-help book that is well worth the time to read.  The book begins with an explanation of  the physical repercussions of  "toxic" thoughts that made total sense to this novice.   Dr. Leaf has formulated a 5 step process to enable one to thwart the mental takeover by these toxic thoughts and thus live a healthier life.  This is not a quick fix.  It is a daily exercise in mindfulness, patience, and self-control, (and a lot of chocolate).

Billy Summers by Stephen King is a fictional account of the life of a paid assassin.  King deftly weaves the story with glimpses of the assassin's character.  The assassin definitely operates on the dark side but he also plays monopoly with the neighborhood kids.  You can't help but root for him.

Every Thing Is Fine by Vince Granata is a powerful memoir about a family dealing with the mental illness of one of their own.  The book chronicles the evolution of the disease and the tragedy that eventually befalls the family.   The author poignantly relates how he and his family have been affected by the manifestation of the disease. 

Staff Picks : Jeltje

We are launching a new feature on this blog in which every week or so a different staff member will feature a few books or movies that they have enjoyed recently.  The selections may not all be brand new, but we hope it will help you find something you like.  

Jeltje's September Picks

The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix

I am not a fan of slasher movies, but if you like the slasher movies from the 80’s and 90’s (Halloween through Scream) you would appreciate the references to those kinds of movies. There is a support group for “Final Girls,” or the girls who survived bloody and gruesome attacks like in those movies mentioned and they are now in their late thirties to forties, but someone seems to be trying to kill them off. Throughout the book, you will follow one of the Final Girls and her attempts to figure out who is trying to kill them and stay alive at the same time.

 

The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn

The story is in the point of view of a woman who is agoraphobic and watches her neighbors to pass her time, but she witnesses a murder through the window of one of her neighbor’s houses. As you read the book, you will wonder if she really did see someone killed and also, why is she so afraid to leave the house over the last several months? This book was interesting enough for it to be made into a movie as well.

 

The French Girl by Lexie Elliot 

In the point of view of Kate, she remembers when 10 years ago, she and a group of friends went to France for a vacation and met a young French girl who disappears. Now, the body of the French girl has been found and there are questions as well as tensions within their friend group with new information coming up that also upsets her personal and professional life.

Staff Picks : Christian

We are launching a new feature on this blog in which every week or so a different staff member will feature a few books or movies that they have enjoyed recently.  The selections may not all be brand new, but we hope it will help you find something you like.  

Christian's September Picks

All Souls Series by Deborah E. Harkness

A Discovery of Witches

Shadow of Night

The Book of Life

Time’s Convert

A fascinating and intelligent Sci Fi/ Fantasy series, it will keep you thinking as you navigate the world of “creatures.”  We also have Seasons 1 & 2 of A Discovery of Witches, the television show based on this series (also fabulous).

The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman

The Invisible Library

The Masked City

The Burning Page

The Lost Plot

The Mortal Word

The Secret Chapter

                                    The Dark Archive

This is another action packed and intriguing Sci Fi/Fantasy series.  Visit an interdimensional library, many other worlds, and meet dragons, fae, and Librarians (oh my!) as you join Irene and Kai on their often harrowing adventures.

The Last Garden in England by Julia Kelly

This dual time-line book is centered around the gardens of Highbury House in England and the people who care for them, in 1907 and 1944

Staff Picks : Julie

We are launching a new feature on this blog in which every week or so a different staff member will feature a few books or movies that they have enjoyed recently.  The selections may not all be brand new, but we hope it will help you find something you like.  

Julie's September Picks

My Southern Journey by Rick Bragg

Short essays about life in the South, specifically Alabama. Some of the stories are funny and some are poignant. I related to almost all of them, except the football ones. Just a nice book to read about home. 

The Escape Room by Megan Goldin

Have you tried an escape room?  This one takes place in an elevator, and not everyone will make it out alive!

Bellewether by Susanna Kearsley

I have enjoyed everything Susanna Kearsley has written and may have featured her before on the blog.  She writes dual time-line books, sometimes with a supernatural twist.  Bellewether is the first of her books to take place in the Americas.  I'm looking forward to her new book coming this fall, The Vanished Days.  

Staff Picks : Lisa

We are launching a new feature on this blog in which every week or so a different staff member will feature a few books or movies that they have enjoyed recently.  The selections may not all be brand new, but we hope it will help you find something you like.  

Lisa's September Picks

The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray

Based on a true story, this is an insightful look at the remarkable life of Bell da Costa Greene. Bell became one of the most influential and powerful people in the art and book world, all while hiding her true identity.  I cannot imagine the fear of living everyday “on stage”. 

Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann

Soon to be a motion picture!

The Osage Indian Nation of Oklahoma, were the richest people per capita in the world in the 1920s.  Murder, destruction, and a massive coverup followed this little-known conspiracy in American history. 

The Survivors by Jane Harper

I love Jane Harper and she didn’t disappoint in this gut-wrenching story of murder, secrets, and consequences.

Tom's Two Cents : In Memoriam

Written by Julie Baxter

Franklin County Library lost a great friend on July 21st.  Tom Wilkinson was a beloved fixture in Mt. Vernon and at Franklin County Library.  

May 11, 1932 - July 21, 2021

I have been struggling with what to say about my friend Tom.  I first met Tom when I started at the library 13 years ago.  Every morning he would make his rounds in town.  He would show up here mid-morning and spend an hour or two with the newspaper or his current book.  As I got to know him I found him to be an intelligent, well-read, and well-informed gentleman.  He could converse on just about any topic.  He talked movies with Chance, theater with Christian, and books with me.  He preferred classic literature, and loved all things Russian.  Occasionally, he would read something a little more modern on the recommendation of a friend, but invariably returned to the classics.  When I started this blog, he was very supportive and quickly became a regular contributor.  His "Tom's Two Cents" columns are still available to read and show both the wide range of his interests and the depth of his thinking.  Prior to Covid he led a book discussion group here at the library and covered War and Peace, Lonesome Dove, and Gone With the Wind.  A retired librarian himself, he was a great supporter of Franklin County Library and contributed in many ways over the years, but he never wanted to be publicly acknowledged for it.  I think that is true for many of the organizations in Franklin County.  

Over the years, Tom became a good friend to me.  He had a love/hate relationship with technology, so I became his go-to for tech help.  I kept everything going for him and he brought me plants.  I always told people he gave me more credit than I deserved for keeping the plants alive.  I needed lots of help to keep them watered and thriving.  The last plant he gave me, a money tree, is still doing well.  Hopefully, it will stay healthy.  I think of Tom every time I see it.  I will miss him.  

Julie's Journal : A Rare Movie Recommendation

Y'all know that I'm not a huge movie buff.  Christian is the library employee to talk to if you want all the details and recommendations about movies.  However, last weekend my husband asked me to bring home a movie.  I picked out several hoping that something would turn out to be good and lo and behold we found one we really enjoyed.  

The Upside was released in 2019 and is loosely based on the true story of Philippe Pozzo di Borgo and his "life auxilary" Abdel Sellou of France.  For The Upside, the story has been Americanized and is based in New York City.  Phillip Lacasse (Bryan Cranston) is a billionaire who has become a quadriplegic after a paragliding accident.  Dell Scott (Kevin Hart) is an ex-con who is trying to put his life back together.  When Phillip hires Dell to be his life auxilary (a caretaker and assistant of sorts), the two men fuss and fight and gradually become friends.  

We chose this movie because it promised hilarity and it delivered. However, along with the laugh-out-loud moments it provides a poignant and uplifting story.  I recommended it to my parents and they watched it last night.  My mom told me that both she and my dad enjoyed the story.  It is rated PG-13 and while the language was surprisingly mild, there were a few scenes I wouldn't have wanted to watch with kids or young teens.    

If you are interested in The Upside it is currently available for check out for FREE.  All you need is a library card - also FREE.  Come on by and pick it up!

Julie's Journal : A Few Fun Things

Today, I thought I'd share a few small things that are bringing me joy....

1.  Nintendo Switch:  For Christmas I asked for and received a Nintendo Switch gaming system.  I've always been a Nintendo fan.  I love all the Mario and Zelda games along with Professor Layton and Rune Factory.  My system came with The Legend of Zelda : Breath of the Wild and I was immediately hooked.  The game is a huge open world and it is up to you how you explore it and what you focus on.  The big goal of course, is to beat the evil Ganon but there are dozens of side quests along the way.  More recently, I've been enjoying Super Smash Brothers Ultimate.  I haven't played many of the Smash Brothers games, but my 11 year old nephew loves it and we can play each other through online play.  Many evenings I get a one word text from him - "play".  He loves that the game lets him beat me up over and over again and I love that it helps us stay connected.  I'm better than I used to be, but he still wins most of our matches.  

2.  Crochet:  Our "Creative Hands" group has been meeting again at the library (Thursday mornings at 10:00).  The group provides me the motivation I need to keep working on my projects.  Recently, I completed two small stuffed animals.  The crocheting wasn't too hard, but getting the embroidered faces right was beyond me so I passed that chore on to my mom.  I am also almost finished with an afghan I've been working on off and on for a couple of years now.  I'm ready to get it done and move on to something else.

3.  Jenny Colgan:  Every now and then I discover a new author and then go back and read their older works.  Jenny Colgan has been that author for me recently.  I very much enjoyed the Scottish Bookshop series.  It begins with The Bookshop on the Corner.  Nina was a librarian in the big city, but due to budget cuts, she finds herself without a job.  Following a dream, she buys a used van and fixes it up as a mobile bookshop.  She travels in Scotland, from village to village, selling books and reworking her life.  Ms. Colgan's books often revolve around a bookshop or a cafe and someone who is having to start over.  They are quick, light reads, and I have enjoyed most of them.  We do not have any of the physical books in the library, but they are available as e-books via Libby/Overdrive.  

4.  Puzzles:  For my birthday earlier in the year, my sister gave me a set of mini puzzles.  There were three 150 piece puzzles and each one is 4x6".  They weren't too difficult to do, so I enjoyed them.  I also used some of my birthday money to buy the Find Momo puzzle.  The 1000 piece puzzle has 12 different scenes and each one has Momo the dog hidden in it.  Now, my dad has me working on one based on the Realtree Camo Pattern.  He said it was hard, so it may take me awhile.

What fun things have you been into lately?  I need ideas for a good new TV show or movie to watch that my husband would also enjoy.  Any suggestions?

Tom's Two Cents : On the Passing of a Great Texas Author

 

Larry McMurtry passed on last week into the annals of great Texas writers, among whom he kept dubious company. His early years were devoted to de-bunking some of the grand old men of Texas letters, such as Dobie, Webb, and Bedichek, (In a Narrow Grave, one of his best non-fiction books) until, ironically he became one himself—though he probably wouldn’t claim the title! In fact, he has steadfastly maintained that his real passion is for books themselves, that is, collecting them, not writing them.

He was born and raised in the small northwest Texas town of Archer City, near Wichita Falls, a place unlikely to produce great authors, but one never knows about that! What one does know about McMurtry is that he had a love/hate relationship with his hometown that kept him leaving and going back most of his life. His early novel The Last Picture Show, one of his most well-known, largely because of the highly successful film, is a clear case of his ambivalent feelings.

That he had an American wanderlust is hardly in doubt, either—a wanderlust that kept him moving (he loved to drive long stretches of highway alone) from West Coast (Hollywood, where he wrote a number of movie scripts, including the Academy Award winning Brokeback Mountain), to East Coast (Washington, D.C., specifically Georgetown, where he established Booked Up, his first bookstore). But eventually he returned to Archer City, buying the Country Club and filling it with his personal collection of books, then ultimately adding four vacant stores downtown, extending his passion for books right into the streets of Archer City, where he had read paperback novels as a kid.

At the same time, he kept a home near Tucson, Arizona, where he doted on the Southwestern esthetic, inviting many friends, both celebrities and writers, to visit.

Among those who came to stay was a young writer, Diana Ossana, who nursed him back to health after a major heart attack, and surprisingly Norma Faye Kesey, a lifetime friend and widow of Ken Kesey, whom he married late in life.

McMurtry’s collected works are substantial, approximately sixty in number, falling largely within the framework of Modern America and the Old West, but there are some very interesting essays and autobiographical things as well. Almost everyone’s favorite seems to be Lonesome Dove, an early novel that won him a Pulitzer, followed by a later sequel and two prequels. The author claimed not to prefer his Westerns, but they brought him fame and fortune, though I suspect that he didn’t care much for either. A modest and retiring man, he never totally left his roots—an authentic Texan, and despite a few really awful books, the State of Texas should be proud of him.