Paradise

As I have mentioned before, with a couple of exceptions, I tend to prefer McMurtry's non-fiction over his fiction. It is in his non-fiction that I hear his voice, learn his heart, discover his thoughts, and walk his footsteps. Through his journey to Tahiti and the surrounding islands, we hear about writers, painters, historical events, culture, and perceptive insights on fellow travelers. Intermingle this with personal comments on growing up, parents, siblings, and childhood events, and Paradise shimmers with interest. Unusual for McMurtry, in Paradise he takes some time to describe the geography and the people, juxtaposing the past with the present in a kind of mosaic of personal experiences. In fiction, telling the story is paramount over any kind of knowledge gained; whereas in non-fiction, the cognition of the facts and circumstances can be quite enriching. Being a well-read author, McMurty is able to interject quotes from other writers as well referencing great books he has read. This makes for a relaxed, informative read that could easily fall into a simplistic trap of simply sharing facts and personal stories. But in the hands of master writer McMurtry, this book has an overriding artistry that leaves the reader with an optimistic, yet reflective spirit. The ending of the book is touching and personal with hints of religious overtones, perpetuated by the impending death of the author's mother. While it is a weak practice to find the one magical sentence that seems to capsulize an entire book, the sentence that comes the closest is on page 158: "Perhaps that is paradise: the fresh, unqualified love of children for their moms and dads--a love before knowledge, which was the sort of love the God of Genesis intended for Adam and Eve." This book, like many of McMurtry's books, is a journey through a new land, yet it is also a journey through the life of a successful writer and his reflection of the past and the present. Worth reading by McMurtry enthusiasts but also by anyone curious about Tahiti, Paradise resonates with those curious philosophers wanting a different look at life and its meaning.

This was bought as a present for a friend. However, I have enjoyed all the novels I have read by McMurtry, especially Lonsome Dove. My friend did say that he liked the book and now had all the 'berrybender' series. af

I confess: I have tried to read "Lonesome Dove" and have failed. My old school chums (McMurty was at Rice, years ago) stay loyal to their freshman English prof, and urge me to try again. Nope. But I like "Paradise." McMurtry claims at first to be getting away so he can write about his parents. But he as much as says that he's got to churn out prose to meet a deadline, and some of the book feels like words for hire. Well, that's a well-worn path for many authors: Think of Dickens. The product here is a low-key travelogue. The voice is that of the a sympathetic observer, well-read and well-spoken. (The tone reminds me of M.F.K. Fisher, who also wrote about the crew and fellow travelers on a cargo ship. ) I found it a delightful respite from plot-driven fiction.

McMurtry delivers a compelling, thoroughly enjoyable read once again. He has traveled to Tahiti and the Marquesan Islands to reflect on his parents and on the idea of worldly paradise. And he seems to believe he has found that paradise in the South Pacific. McMurtry offers thoughtful and thought-provoking insights on his fellow travelers and spectacular descriptions of his surroundings in a book written very much like a diary or journal. Is there anyone who wouldn't like to visit these islands after reading McMurtry's account? While this is a fast read, the reflections the author presents have a penetrating quality to them; this is a book the reader will not soon forget.

If Larry McMurtry stops his autobiographical musings with this latest installment, it would be a fitting end of a trilogy: "Walter Benjamin At The Dairy Queen: Reflections At Sixty And Beyond" (1999), "Roads" (2000), and "Paradise" (2001). Hopefully, there will be an additional volume or two.It is necessary to mention "Walter Benjamin" and "Roads" before getting to "Paradise". While not strictly an autobiography, "Walter Benjamin" explains something of McMurtry's upbringing, his younger days, his middle-age, and includes some family history (particularly his paternal grandparents and his father). Some of the book recalls portions of his 1968 work "In A Narrow Grave: Essays On Texas" (which contains one of the best pieces ever written about family: "Take My Saddle From The Wall: A Valediction"). "Roads" contains an abundance of opinions and reminiscings from McMurtry's life, and is combined with his 1999 thoughts as he uses America's great interstate highways to traverse the country as the great rivers were once used.The autobiographical portion of "Paradise" includes the relationship between McMurtry's parents from their marriage in 1934 up through the death of his father (in 1977), and then onward with his mother. Intertwined with this is an early-2000 vacation to Tahiti which focuses on a cargo-cruise tour of the Marquesas Islands. The sly thing about this slight book (it is a quick read) is that one is reading a first-class travel book without even realizing it. As a bonus, the reader gets some interesting views of his fellow travelers (American, French, Belgian, German, and others), as well as some commentary on the Polynesians (past and present).Once again, the novelist McMurtry succeeds in writing some great essay/non-fiction.