THE FIRST DIFFERENCE Newt noticed about being grown up was that time didn’t pass as slow.

McMurtry, Larry. Lonesome Dove (p. 113). Pan Macmillan. Kindle Edition.

KURT: I can’t decide wether this novel is a psychological study of epic proportions, or an epic story of psychological detail. Perhaps it doesn’t matter, so I’ll simply say that if you like horses, then you’ll love this one.

If you dislike westerns, cowboys, Indians and long, arduous trips over endless barren landscape, then stay focused because this is not about those things, although (trigger warning) they do feature.

This book is about life, death, and the interim journey. It is about men, women, and the space between them. It is about the vast gulf in mentality between the ancient peoples and the new. American metaphysics.

Gill said. “I’d rather stable a grizzly than this mare.”
“She bite you or what?”
“No, but she’s biding her time,” the old man said. “Take her away so I can relax. I ain’t been drunk this early in several years, and it’s just from having her around.”
“We’re leaving,” Call said.
“Now, why would you keep a creature like that?” the old man said, once Call had her saddled.
“Because I like to be horseback when I’m horseback,” Call said.

McMurtry, Larry. Lonesome Dove (p. 884). Pan Macmillan. Kindle Edition.

LUNA: I don’t know what you’re talking about

KURT: That’s because you’re a dog.

LUNA: Nonsense, dogs understand humans better than they understand themselves.

KURT: So do dead writers.

LUNA: Of course, but I’m interested in why anyone would dislike westerns. There are horses, beavers, cows, bulls, bears, rabbits, snakes, turkeys, long walks, swims, climbs and a great deal of hopping about. What’s not to like about all of that?

KURT: There is a great deal of misogyny, racism and violence, you know how it is when a group of men spends a lot of time in each other’s company. But this book is different; it shows all of that behaviour, but at the same time it helps you to understand why.

LUNA: Why do cowboys shoot Indians?

KURT: Exactly.

LUNA: So they don’t shoot each other.

KURT: Precisely. Enjoy.

“Do you think we’ll see Indians?” Newt asked.
“You bet,” Augustus said. “We might all get killed this afternoon, for all I know. That’s the wild for you—it’s got its dangers, which is part of the beauty. ’Course the Indians have had this land forever. To them it’s precious because it’s old. To us it’s exciting because it’s new.”

McMurtry, Larry. Lonesome Dove (p. 832). Pan Macmillan. Kindle Edition.