Larry McMurtry (1936–2021)

By all accounts, no one should love Woodrow Call. He is small-framed, cantankerous, old and weary. He keeps to himself; a self-confirmed bachelor and loner. He does not suffer fools and hates conversation, even with the smarter ones. Since the death of his best friend, Augustus McCrae, in McMurtry's previous book, Lonesome Dove, Woodrow Call has given up cattle ranching and is spending his twilight years as a bounty hunter. Never one to shy away from danger, he is now on the trail of a young train hustler who has a death wish. Except Call has lost his speed and agility. He is no longer the feared Texas Ranger. He is no longer the spirited cattle rancher. He is only a man hellbent on bringing a violent man to justice.
Streets of Laredo is a return to violence. Luckily, strong women like Lorena play a pivotal role in keeping the plot from becoming a bloodbath.… (more)

"Sometimes Sonny felt like he was the only human creature in the town...."

I decided to reread this after watching a documentary featuring movie director Peter Bogdanovich on the making of the acclaimed movie based on this book. I think that this was the first book by McMurty that I read (and I've read many of his books since, but not recently), and this is still a very good book.
It's the story of the coming of age of Sonny in his final year of high school and part of the following year, set against the backdrop of the death of the small Texas town of Thalia. It has an ensemble cast of characters--all walks of life are portrayed and humanized, and we explore the universe of human feelings and experiences in one small town. There's Sonny and his best friend Duane. There's Billy, the simple-minded boy who sweeps the streets and goes to the picture show every night. Keeping a kindly eye on these boys is Sam the Lion, owner of the cafe and the pool hall, and of course, there's the waitress with the heart of gold, Genevieve. Football is big in small town Texas, and there's Coach Popper and his unhappy neglected wife Ruth. Then there's the spoiled, narcissistic rich girl Jacy, manipulating all the boys in town and making sure she stays the center of attention. Her mother Lois is on to Jacy, but maintains the peace in her unhappy marriage to a rich oil driller. This may all sound stereotypical, but there's nothing stereotypical about any of these characters--they are real, living deeply humane people.
When I first started reading, I was struck by how much sex there is. I didn't remember this aspect of the book. But after all, we are mostly in the minds of teenagers as they learn the mysteries of the world and pass into adulthood.
Highly recommended if you haven't already read this oldie but goodie. And the movie is great too!… (more)