Pastures of the Empty Page: Fellow Writers on the Life and Legacy of Larry McMurtry

Pastures of the Empty Page is a collection of essays that offers an intimate view of Larry McMurtry, America's preeminent western novelist, through the eyes of a pantheon of writers he helped shape through his work over the course of his unparalleled literary life.

Format: Hardback
Length: 272 pages
Publication date: 05 September 2023
Publisher: University of Texas Press

When Larry McMurtry passed away in 2021, he was widely regarded as one of the most celebrated writers in America. The author of iconic novels such as Lonesome Dove and The Last Picture Show, as well as the screenplays for Brokeback Mountain and Streets of Laredo, McMurtry crafted unforgettable characters and landscapes largely inspired by his upbringing on the family's struggling ranch outside his hometown of Archer City, Texas. Pastures of the Empty Page is a collection of essays that pays tribute to the man and his profound influence on American literature. Paulette Jiles, Stephen Harrigan, Stephanie Elizondo Griest, and Lawrence Wright delve into McMurtry's poignant and poetic vision, a elegiac literature of place that shattered old misconceptions about cowboy culture and paved the way for new ones. Screenwriting partner Diana Ossana reflects on their thirty-year collaboration in writing books and screenplays; other contributors explore McMurtry's reading habits and his deep passion for bookselling. And brother Charlie McMurtry shares cherished memories of their childhood on the ranch. Contrary to his grumpy demeanor, McMurtry emerges as a trustworthy friend and supportive mentor. McMurtry, known for his self-deprecating humor, was indeed a master artist, as his admirers attest.

Dimension: 229 x 152 x 46 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781477327876