Duane's Depressed

Picking up this book was like attending a family reunion. I had that same sense of visiting with people I hadn't seen in years but still cared about. You want to reminisce and catch up on what everyone's been up to. It's been years since I read Texasville and over a decade since I read The Last Picture Show. Nevertheless, I was immediately able to fall back into the rhythms of Thalia, Texas. "Duane's Depressed" picks up several years after Texasville and once again focuses on Duane Moore and his family. The book opens with Duane's decision to give up motorized vehicles, a move that shocks the entire town and throws Duane's wife into a panic. Pedestrians, you see, are unheard of in Thalia. Typical of McMurtry's novels, the dialogue is extremely funny and true to life. McMurtry has an amazing ability to point out the ridiculousness of most human behavior without demeaning his characters. And he thoroughly captures the eccentricities of small town life. Even though this is basically a story about regrets and missed oportunities, it never becomes melancholy or dismal. This is a stronger book that Texasville, but no less entertaining. I highly recommend this book for all McMurtry fans, especially if you've read the rest of the trilogy.

I havne't read the first two books in this trilogy, but I found this book engaging and entertaining. Neither being in my sixties or male, I still found Duane's struggles interesting to read. This book is about a man who wakes up one day and decides to walk away from his life, literally, and push forward in a new direction. I think anyone of any age can relate to that kind of story, where the character is questioning his existence and wondering what it's all about. I would say in some ways this is a philosophical book, but it's also very entertaining and easy to read. I was glued to turning the pages, wanting to find out what would happen next. A great read.

Larry McMurtry delivers us the human condition again and Proust-Thoreau as a bonus. Duane cyles through depression, irritation, loss of identity, love and comes to a soft landing on a cloud of understanding. He learns a few things about contentment and Proust teaches him to see the validity of his life now -- the pyramids aren't inherently better than Texas -- IF you pay attention. Excellent book for thinking people.

I haven't read anything by McMurtry...I tried to get past page 50 of "Lonesome Dove" a dozen times,without success. However, the jacket notes of this book intrigued me and I jumped in. I'm glad I did, too!This is a book for anyone who has thought about the meaning of life; who has been depressed; who has lived with someone with depression; who has made it to 50; who has lost someone they love; who has not quite lived up to their teen-age reputations. In other words, this is a book that anyone over 40 can relate to...you don't have to be male to understand Duane's desperation or despondency. I gave this book to my spouse to read...hope he finds as much enjoyment and enlightenment as I did. A great read and well worth my precious spare time.