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All My Friends Are Going to Be Strangers | Larry McMurtry

All My Friends Are Going to Be Strangers | Larry McMurtry

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All My Friends Are Going to Be Strangers: A Novel

by Larry McMurtry

"Brilliant . . . funny and dangerously tender." — Time

🏜️ CLASSIC FICTION | WESTERN LITERATURE | COMING-OF-AGE

A powerful demonstration of comic genius detailing a young writer's tragicomic road trip from Houston to the California coast, exploring the bleak realities and sacrifices of artistic life.

Extended Synopsis

Desperate to break free from the "mundane happiness" of Houston, budding writer Danny Deck hops into his car, "El Chevy," and embarks on a pilgrimage bound for the West Coast. Hailed as one of the best novels ever set in America’s fourth-largest city, All My Friends Are Going to Be Strangers traces a road trip heavily paved with broken hearts and the stark, bleak realities of the artistic life.

Along the dusty Texas highway and all the way to California and back, a cast of unforgettable characters joins the naive troubadour's journey. From a cruel, long-legged beauty and an appealing screenwriter to a randy college professor and a painfully "normal" friend, Danny navigates a landscape of profound interior tension. Since its original publication in 1972, this novel stands as a testament to the author’s incomparable talent for capturing the essential tragicomedy of the human experience.

About the Author

Larry McMurtry was an acclaimed American novelist, essayist, and screenwriter known for his unparalleled ability to render the landscapes and interior lives of characters in the American West and Texas. His profound comic genius and tender storytelling have cemented his works as essential pillars of contemporary American literature.

Reader Targeting & Academic Utility

  • American Literature Enthusiasts: An essential read for those studying the evolution of modern Western-fiction and 1970s character-driven narratives.
  • Aspiring Writers & Creatives: Offers a raw, unfiltered look at the romanticization versus the harsh reality of the creative pilgrimage.
  • Regional Fiction Scholars: Recognized as a seminal text capturing the cultural and geographical essence of 20th-century Houston and the Texas-California corridor.

Technical Specifications

ISBN-13 9781631493577
ISBN-10 1631493574
Series Houston Book Series (Book 2 of 6)
Format Paperback (Original Edition)
Publisher Liveright Books
Publication Date May 29, 2018
Subjects Western, Classics and Literture

Accolades & Features

  • Hailed as one of “the best novels ever set in America’s fourth largest city” by the New York Times Book Review.
  • "A brilliant exploration of art and sacrifice that flawlessly captures the essential tragicomedy of the human experience." — Bust Down Books Editorial Review

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