Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Telegraph Days

Telegraph Days: A Novel
By Larry McMurtry
Simon & Schuster, 2006. 289 pgs. Western

This is the story of Nellie Cartright whose father left his plantation in Virginia to seek his fortune in the Wild West. Soon after they settled, tragedy strikes and Nellie and her brother find themselves orphaned and forced to leave their home and make their way to the nearest settlement of Rita Blanca. Here, Nellie’s true adventure begins as she tries to find her place amidst such legends as Buffalo Bill, Billy the Kid, the Earp brothers, and Doc Holliday.

I somehow forget how much I enjoy Larry McMurtry’s westerns. He writes with a wonderful sense of humor which often pokes fun of the many human frailties present as much now as they were in the West which provides a backdrop for his story. Nellie, while promiscuous, is an endearing and completely entertaining heroine. The personality apparent throughout her narration perfectly matches the era, its characters, and its events.

CZ

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