Boone'S Lick

Rating:
Summary: A Nice Romp In The Saddle
Review: With his clever eye for detail and unerring ear for great dialogue, Larry McMurtry makes a welcomed return to his roots in this fine little book. Told from the perspective of its 15 year old hero, this terse Western tale brought to mine richer, more emotionally satisfying work, from the likes of Chaucer and Shakespeare. Yet on its own terms, "Boone's Lick" is a sly, often funny, look at the West in the late 1860's. Having not read "Lonesome Dove", it is impossible for me to compare this to his earlier, critically acclaimed work. Yet I found it quite captivating, showing McMurtry's great love of the West and the strong empathy he feels towards its aboriginal peoples. Anyone who thinks the Western as a literary form has run its course should read McMurtry's tome.