Personal Western Cannon

While Larry McMurtry's Horseman, Pass By is a strong first effort, it only begins to showcase the strength of his talent in the bringing to life the vast emptiness that is West Texas and its hard bitten, close-to-the-earth inhabitants. This novel is certainly worth reading, particularly if one is interested in doing a little compare and contrast with HUD, the film based on it. But if time only allows the purusal of one early McMurtry, select The Last Picture Show. Leaving Cheyenne is propably about half way between the two in in maturity -- just where you'd think it would be, considering it's date of publication.