Larry McMurtry
The Last Picture Show (1966)
Author: Larry McMurtry
Genre: Literary (Coming-of-Age/Book to Film)
Plot Summary:
High-school seniors Sonny, Duane and Jacy live a directionless life in the small Texas town of Thalia in the 1950s. Sex and drinking run rampant in the lives of these three seniors as they attempt to leave behind their small town. Duane wants to marry his girlfriend, rich and beautiful Jacy. But Jacy longs for attention and wants to leave poor Duane behind for the wealthy set led by Bobby Sheen. And Sonny longs for Jacy but settles for Ruth Popper, his coach’s middle-aged wife.
Geographical Setting: Thalia, Texas
Time Period: 1950s
Series: first in a series; followed by: Texasville (1987) and Duane’s Depressed (1999)
Appeal Elements:
Leisurely paced, but a quick read; McMurtry’s writing style is droll, witty, warm, sad, and wild.
Similar Authors: Cormac McCarthy, Ken Kesey, and John Irving
Red Flags: Numerous sex scenes, heavy drinking, some violence, instances of bestiality and child molestation
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