{"product_id":"in-a-narrow-grave-essays-on-texas-larry-mcmurtry-9781631493539","title":"In a Narrow Grave: Essays on Texas | Larry McMurtry","description":"\u003cdiv style=\"font-family: inherit; color: #333; line-height: 1.6;\"\u003e\n  \u003csection style=\"margin-bottom: 25px;\"\u003e\n    \u003cp style=\"font-size: 1.1em; font-weight: 500; margin-bottom: 20px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2c3e50;\"\u003eThis landmark collection, brimming with his signature wit and incomparable sensibility, is Larry McMurtry’s classic tribute to his home and his people. In \u003cem\u003eIn a Narrow Grave: Essays on Texas\u003c\/em\u003e, Pulitzer Prize–winning author Larry McMurtry explores all the singular elements that define his land and community, revealing the surprising and particular challenges in the dying rural, pastoral way of life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n    \n    \u003ch2 style=\"color: #2c3e50; font-size: 1.5em; border-bottom: 1px solid #eaeaea; padding-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 20px;\"\u003eBook Overview \u0026amp; Core Themes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n    \u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 15px;\"\u003eThe collection serves as a poignant, unsparing, and deeply critical meditation on the rapid transition of Texas from a rural frontier society to an urbanized modern state. Pulitzer Prize–winning author Larry McMurtry examines the mythos of the Old West, the Texas cowboy, and regional identity, elegizing the death of rural ranching culture while ruthlessly dismantling the nostalgic fables surrounding Texan exceptionalism.\u003c\/p\u003e\n    \u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 15px;\"\u003eKey areas examined within this work include:\u003c\/p\u003e\n    \u003cul style=\"padding-left: 20px; margin-bottom: 15px;\"\u003e\n      \u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 6px;\"\u003eAn investigation into the death of the frontier myth and the psychological toll of urbanization.\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 6px;\"\u003eThe friction between romanticized historical mythology and the complex reality of modern Texas culture.\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 6px;\"\u003eSharp intellectual critique, personal reminiscence, and keen cultural observation from a former ranch hand.\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 6px;\"\u003eA seminal nonfiction work that presaged McMurtry's legendary career, including \u003cem\u003eLonesome Dove\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003c\/ul\u003e\n  \u003c\/section\u003e\n\n  \u003csection style=\"margin-bottom: 25px;\"\u003e\n    \u003ch2 style=\"color: #2c3e50; font-size: 1.5em; border-bottom: 1px solid #eaeaea; padding-bottom: 5px;\"\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/h2\u003e\n    \u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 15px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLarry McMurtry\u003c\/strong\u003e (1936–2021) was an iconic American novelist, essayist, and screenwriter whose work indelibly shaped the nation’s perception of the American West. Raised on a cattle ranch in Archer City, Texas, McMurtry brought unmatched firsthand authority and unsparing cultural critique to his exploration of Southwestern life and literature.\u003c\/p\u003e\n  \u003c\/section\u003e\n\n  \u003csection style=\"margin-bottom: 25px;\"\u003e\n    \u003ch2 style=\"color: #2c3e50; font-size: 1.5em; border-bottom: 1px solid #eaeaea; padding-bottom: 5px;\"\u003eCore Audience \u0026amp; Intended Use\u003c\/h2\u003e\n    \u003cul style=\"padding-left: 20px; margin-bottom: 15px;\"\u003e\n      \u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 8px;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTexas History \u0026amp; Regional Literature Enthusiasts:\u003c\/strong\u003e Readers seeking insightful, unsparing cultural commentary on the Lone Star State.\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 8px;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFans of Larry McMurtry:\u003c\/strong\u003e Followers of his legendary fiction wanting to explore the nonfiction bedrock of his literary career.\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 8px;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEssay \u0026amp; Non-Fiction Collectors:\u003c\/strong\u003e Individuals drawn to brilliant, witty, and masterfully crafted American essays.\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003c\/ul\u003e\n  \u003c\/section\u003e\n\n  \u003csection style=\"margin-bottom: 25px;\"\u003e\n    \u003ch2 style=\"color: #2c3e50; font-size: 1.5em; border-bottom: 1px solid #eaeaea; padding-bottom: 5px;\"\u003eProduct Specifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\n    \u003ctable style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; margin-top: 15px; font-size: 0.95em;\"\u003e\n      \u003ctbody\u003e\n        \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px; background-color: #f9f9f9; text-align: left; width: 35%;\"\u003eFull Title\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px;\"\u003eIn a Narrow Grave: Essays on Texas\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px; background-color: #f9f9f9; text-align: left;\"\u003eAuthor(s)\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px;\"\u003eLarry McMurtry\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px; background-color: #f9f9f9; text-align: left;\"\u003ePublisher \u0026amp; Imprint\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px;\"\u003eLiveright (W. W. Norton \u0026amp; Company)\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px; background-color: #f9f9f9; text-align: left;\"\u003ePublication Date\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px;\"\u003eMarch 20, 2018\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px; background-color: #f9f9f9; text-align: left;\"\u003eBinding Format\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px;\"\u003eTrade Paperback (PB)\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px; background-color: #f9f9f9; text-align: left;\"\u003ePrint Length\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px;\"\u003e224 Pages\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px; background-color: #f9f9f9; text-align: left;\"\u003eLanguage\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px; background-color: #f9f9f9; text-align: left;\"\u003eISBN-13 \/ ISBN-10\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px;\"\u003e9781631493539 \/ 1631493533\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px; background-color: #f9f9f9; text-align: left;\"\u003ePrimary Genre (BISAC)\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px;\"\u003eLCO010000 \/ LITERARY COLLECTIONS \/ Essays\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px; background-color: #f9f9f9; text-align: left;\"\u003eSub-Genres (BISAC)\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px;\"\u003eHIS036110 \/ HISTORY \/ Southwest; LIT004020 \/ CRITICISM \/ Regional\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px; background-color: #f9f9f9; text-align: left;\"\u003eItem Condition\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px;\"\u003ePre-Owned \/ Very Good\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px; background-color: #f9f9f9; text-align: left;\"\u003eDimensions \u0026amp; Weight\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px;\"\u003e5.50 x 0.60 x 8.25 inches | 8.0 oz (approx. 0.50 lbs)\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n      \u003c\/tbody\u003e\n    \u003c\/table\u003e\n  \u003c\/section\u003e\n\n  \u003csection style=\"margin-bottom: 30px;\"\u003e\n    \u003ch2 style=\"color: #2c3e50; font-size: 1.5em; border-bottom: 1px solid #eaeaea; padding-bottom: 5px;\"\u003eFrequently Asked Questions About In a Narrow Grave\u003c\/h2\u003e\n    \n    \u003cdetails style=\"margin-bottom: 10px; border: 1px solid #eaeaea; padding: 10px; border-radius: 4px; background-color: #fcfcfc;\"\u003e\n      \u003csummary style=\"font-weight: bold; cursor: pointer; color: #2c3e50; outline: none;\"\u003eWhat is In a Narrow Grave: Essays on Texas by Larry McMurtry actually about?\u003c\/summary\u003e\n      \u003cp style=\"margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 0;\"\u003eThe collection serves as a poignant, unsparing, and deeply critical meditation on the rapid transition of Texas from a rural frontier society to an urbanized modern state. Larry McMurtry examines the mythos of the Old West, the Texas cowboy, and regional identity, elegizing the death of rural ranching culture while dismantling nostalgic fables surrounding Texan exceptionalism.\u003c\/p\u003e\n    \u003c\/details\u003e\n\n    \u003cdetails style=\"margin-bottom: 10px; border: 1px solid #eaeaea; padding: 10px; border-radius: 4px; background-color: #fcfcfc;\"\u003e\n      \u003csummary style=\"font-weight: bold; cursor: pointer; color: #2c3e50; outline: none;\"\u003eHow is the information presented in In a Narrow Grave? Is it a difficult read?\u003c\/summary\u003e\n      \u003cp style=\"margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 0;\"\u003eIt is a deeply personal, highly articulate, and masterfully written collection of foundational essays formatted with razor-sharp literary craft. McMurtry combines sharp intellectual critique, personal reminiscence, and keen cultural observation into a fluid, highly engaging read that moves effortlessly between humorous anecdotes and sophisticated literary critiques.\u003c\/p\u003e\n    \u003c\/details\u003e\n\n    \u003cdetails style=\"margin-bottom: 10px; border: 1px solid #eaeaea; padding: 10px; border-radius: 4px; background-color: #fcfcfc;\"\u003e\n      \u003csummary style=\"font-weight: bold; cursor: pointer; color: #2c3e50; outline: none;\"\u003eWhat are the main underlying messages or themes in In a Narrow Grave?\u003c\/summary\u003e\n      \u003cp style=\"margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 0;\"\u003eThe text delivers a profound investigation into the death of the frontier myth, the psychological toll of urbanization, and the friction between mythology and historical reality. McMurtry explores how the rugged image of the Texas cowboy became an outdated relic, arguing that clinging blindly to romanticized historical lies prevents a culture from understanding its modern identity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n    \u003c\/details\u003e\n\n    \u003cdetails style=\"margin-bottom: 10px; border: 1px solid #eaeaea; padding: 10px; border-radius: 4px; background-color: #fcfcfc;\"\u003e\n      \u003csummary style=\"font-weight: bold; cursor: pointer; color: #2c3e50; outline: none;\"\u003eDid In a Narrow Grave win any major awards or get adapted into a movie?\u003c\/summary\u003e\n      \u003cp style=\"margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 0;\"\u003eWhile In a Narrow Grave itself was not directly adapted into a feature film, it stands as the seminal nonfiction bedrock that presaged Larry McMurtry's legendary career, including his Pulitzer Prize for \u003cem\u003eLonesome Dove\u003c\/em\u003e and his Academy Award-winning screenplay for \u003cem\u003eBrokeback Mountain\u003c\/em\u003e. Upon release, the volume achieved instant canonical status as a major work of regional nonfiction.\u003c\/p\u003e\n    \u003c\/details\u003e\n\n    \u003cdetails style=\"margin-bottom: 10px; border: 1px solid #eaeaea; padding: 10px; border-radius: 4px; background-color: #fcfcfc;\"\u003e\n      \u003csummary style=\"font-weight: bold; cursor: pointer; color: #2c3e50; outline: none;\"\u003eWhy did Larry McMurtry write In a Narrow Grave, and what makes it significant to his career?\u003c\/summary\u003e\n      \u003cp style=\"margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 0;\"\u003eThis work represents a defining watershed moment in McMurtry's career because it served as his formal, bittersweet farewell to his family's ranching heritage in Archer City, Texas. Raised in a traditional cattle-raising family, McMurtry possessed unmatched, firsthand authority on cowboy culture, allowing him to mourn vanishing old ways while serving as the state's most unsparing cultural critic.\u003c\/p\u003e\n    \u003c\/details\u003e\n\n    \u003c!-- Condition Notice Disclaimer BDB --\u003e\n    \u003cdetails style=\"margin-bottom: 10px; border: 1px solid #eaeaea; padding: 10px; border-radius: 4px; background-color: #f4f6f8; border-left: 3px solid #2c3e50;\"\u003e\n      \u003csummary style=\"font-weight: bold; cursor: pointer; color: #2c3e50; outline: none;\"\u003eCondition Notice: Pre-Owned \/ Second-Hand Product\u003c\/summary\u003e\n      \u003cp style=\"margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAll books, box sets, and multi-volume collections\u003c\/strong\u003e offered by Bust-Down Books are sold in pre-owned, used, and second-hand condition, unless explicitly designated as new in the individual product listing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n      \n      \u003cp style=\"margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 5px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition Details \u0026amp; Grading:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n      \u003cul style=\"padding-left: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px;\"\u003e\n        \u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 6px;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePrevious Ownership:\u003c\/strong\u003e These items have been previously owned, handled, and read. As such, copies may exhibit typical signs of shelf wear, including but not limited to minor creasing, scuffing, edge wear, bent page corners, remainder marks, or spine softening. Trade paperback editions may show minor cover curling, spine creasing, or edge rubbing.\u003c\/li\u003e\n        \u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 6px;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMarkings \u0026amp; Personalization:\u003c\/strong\u003e Items may occasionally contain inscriptions, library stamps, owner names, marginalia, or highlighting. Individual item descriptions reflect significant deviations from standard acceptable condition.\u003c\/li\u003e\n        \u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 6px;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSupplemental Materials:\u003c\/strong\u003e Secondary and digital components—such as publisher access codes, CD-ROMs, bonus inserts, registration keys, or workbook activity pages—are not guaranteed to be included, active, or unredeemed unless specifically stated in the product description.\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n      \u003cp style=\"margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 5px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFirst Sale Doctrine \u0026amp; Non-Affiliation Statement:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n      \u003cp style=\"margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 10px;\"\u003eAll items sold on this platform are original, lawfully acquired copies being resold under the protection of the First Sale Doctrine (codified under U.S. copyright law, 17 U.S.C. § 109, and applicable international equivalents permitting the secondary resale of lawfully manufactured goods).\u003c\/p\u003e\n      \u003cp style=\"margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 0;\"\u003eBust-Down Books, LTD. is an independent, secondary-market bookseller. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, authorized by, or sponsored by the original authors, copyright holders, publishers, or trademark owners of the titles offered for sale. All registered trademarks, author names, book titles, and publisher imprints remain the sole property of their respective owners and are used strictly for nominative identification and descriptive purposes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n    \u003c\/details\u003e\n  \u003c\/section\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e\n{\n  \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n  \"@graph\": [\n    {\n      \"@type\": [\"Product\", \"Book\"],\n      \"name\": \"In a Narrow Grave: Essays on Texas\",\n      \"author\": {\n        \"@type\": \"Person\",\n        \"name\": \"Larry McMurtry\"\n      },\n      \"isbn\": \"9781631493539\",\n      \"sameAs\": \"1631493533\",\n      \"bookFormat\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\/Paperback\",\n      \"numberOfPages\": 224,\n      \"publisher\": {\n        \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n        \"name\": \"Liveright\"\n      },\n      \"datePublished\": \"2018-03-20\",\n      \"inLanguage\": \"en\",\n      \"image\": \"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0855\/2077\/7531\/files\/9781631493539.jpg?v=1775637907\",\n      \"url\": \"https:\/\/bustdownbooks.com\/products\/in-a-narrow-grave-essays-on-texas-larry-mcmurtry-9781631493539\",\n      \"offers\": {\n        \"@type\": \"Offer\",\n        \"priceCurrency\": \"USD\",\n        \"price\": \"13.99\",\n        \"availability\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\/InStock\",\n        \"itemCondition\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\/UsedCondition\"\n      },\n      \"about\": [\n        {\n          \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n          \"name\": \"LCO010000 \/ LITERARY COLLECTIONS \/ Essays\"\n        },\n        {\n          \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n          \"name\": \"HIS036110 \/ HISTORY \/ United States \/ State \u0026 Local \/ Southwest\"\n        },\n        {\n          \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n          \"name\": \"LIT004020 \/ LITERARY CRITICISM \/ American \/ Regional\"\n        }\n      ]\n    },\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"FAQPage\",\n      \"mainEntity\": [\n        {\n          \"@type\": \"Question\",\n          \"name\": \"What is In a Narrow Grave: Essays on Texas by Larry McMurtry actually about?\",\n          \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n            \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n            \"text\": \"The collection serves as a poignant, unsparing, and deeply critical meditation on the rapid transition of Texas from a rural frontier society to an urbanized modern state. 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