Larry McMurtry, born 3 June 1936, Wichita Falls, Texas. (Birth time unknown)"Lonesome Dove" is what I know best of this author. I read the book, watched the TV series, bought the DVDs, and have watched them countless times. I was enthralled by this tale of the old West, almost as enthralled as I was by James Michener's "Centennial". How strange that I should find myself, at a fairly late stage in life, not too far from the locations of both books. We visited Archer City, Larry McMurtry's home town last summer, had a coffee in the famous "Dairy Queen" there, and saw his enormous used book store "Booked Up". We visited the location of Michener's "Centennial" in Colorado this year, too.
The information on Larry McMurtry's life available on the internet is basic, and not very revealing. The following is from Yahoo
Prolific author and screenwriter McMurtry has carved a niche as the chronicler of a fictional West (with particular emphasis on his native Texas) in transition. He is credited with reviving the genre and imbuing it with realism laced with satire. Although he has written novels set in other areas of the US, the flavor of the Southwest permeates. Raised in Archer County, TX on a cattle ranch established by his grandfather, McMurtry began his literary career at North Texas State University writing for the literary magazine "Avesta." Upon graduation, he worked intermittently as a teacher, first at Texas Christian University (1961-62) and then at Rice University (1963-64 and 1965-69). He continued his literary career as well, working as a freelance journalist and book reviewer.
Larry McMurtry is the author of twentyseven novels, including "The Last Picture Show", "Terms of Endearment", "Lonesome Dove", winner of the 1986 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, and, most recently, "Folly and Glory". His nonfiction works include a biography of Crazy Horse, "Walter Benjamin at the Dairy Queen", "Paradise", and "Sacagawea’s Nickname: Essays on the American West" Several of his novels have been adapted for TV or movie screen.
His astrology:
Venus, Mercury, Sun and Mars are all in Gemini at 5, 8, 12 and 14 degrees respectively. What better indication for a literary career than a stellium in Gemini ruled by planet Mercury? Saturn doesn't link easily with those planets though, at 21 Pisces. Disappointing, because I feel sure that Saturn often does link into an author's astrological signature . Perhaps in McMurtry's case his generational planets Uranus and Neptune, both in Earth signs Taurus and Virgo, lend a certain amount of stability and discipline ? Or perhaps Capricorn was rising at the time of his birth. The publishing planet Jupiter lies at 20 Sagittarius, widely opposing his Gemini stellium, could the tension of this opposition perhaps be the catalyst which led him from teaching to writing? His Moon lies in Scorpio. Pluto, the third generational influence, is in Cancer. Saturn, Moon and Pluto form a Grand Trine in Water. McMurtry doesn't strike me as a superficially emotional writer, but he does imply deep understanding of emotional matters, often too ethereal to put into words. The relationship between Gus and Captain Call (Lonesome Dove) is a good example of this. Much later in his career McMurtry co-wrote the screenplay for "Brokeback Mountain", which deals with a relationship between two men - different from that in "Lonesome Dove", but dealt with in a similarly compassionate style. He was able to touch me sufficiently to bring tears in both instances. Perhaps this is his Water Grand Trine at work.
Larry McMurtry is a true "son of the West", with an innate talent for words. He has enabled us to share some of the magic which lies within the history of his beloved country.
No comments:
Post a Comment