Fourth Grade Journey

A Fourth Grade Teacher's Journey Through the World of Books

Saturday, February 10, 2024

Lonesome Love by Larry McMurty

How I Heard About It
*I decided to come up with a new book club for the staff I work with.  I've been a member of the BBC (Boy's Book Club) since 2000, but we have gone from a group of five male teachers down to two men.  I thought it was time to open up our "exclusive" group to more of the staff in my building.  I had seen a social media post from a reader I follow and he was going to tackle this HUGE novel.  I thought this could be the one we started with for the new book club.  I knew I would never read it on my own because I'm not a fan of Westerns and the story is quite long at almost 900 pages.  After putting out the call for new readers, about twenty staff showed interest in the book club.  



What It Is About - FIVE Things You Need to Know:
*The story centers around two cowboys leading a group of men across the Texas land.

*As they journey, they come across other cowboys and characters who join and leave them along the way.

*The author describes all the hardships encountered including vicious men, horrible weather, and unbearable conditions.  

*Many characters are introduced to the overall story.  Some stay awhile and some "leave" after their short introduction.

*The book is long, the plot is slow, and there are quite a few characters to try to keep track of.


What I Thought Of It - Five Observations/Reflections:
*This novel was NOT for me.

*I found it interesting that several members of our new book club enjoyed the story.  Some readers said it took several hundred pages before they were invested in the story.

*Some members of the book club listened to the audio version and found it enjoyable.

*I thought the plot was slow, there was too much description, and hard to read.

*I did find myself skimming during many portions of the novel and know I missed some of the events.


Who Should Read It:
*When I look at reviews, so many readers give the story 4-5 stars and rave about the book.  I just didn't enjoy and found it difficult to read.  If you enjoy long stories, especially about the western land after the Civil War, then this may be the book for you.  Happy Reading!  


Rating:
  2 STARS out of 5 Stars





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