I'm re-reading Lonesome Dove. Currently, I'm over halfway through, having read it initially last year.
As an ensemble tale, it's incredibly diverse. Via my sophomore effort, I'm able to slow down enough to really analyze the wide swath of characters. As such, every chapter is a pleasure.
Lonesome Dove was published in the '80s. Eventually, it won the Pulitzer Prize. The novel soon inspired a television screenplay. That "mini-series" (as they were dubbed by TV network execs back then) changed everything due to it being such the massive hit. Everyone, & I mean everyone, screened that mini-series back in February of 1989.
That being said, my family was the exception. Westerns simply weren't our thing.
This book is so good that I've gifted it to numerous friends / clients, many of which have already read it (or claim to).
I have to admit that I wish the TV mini-series had never been made. The book is brutal in its depiction of frontier America, and so amazingly written. There's no way a video production from the 1980s could do it justice. Nevertheless, so many readers would have never picked up the tome were it not for the TV series.
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July Johnson is tied familial to the catalyst that sets the entire plot of the novel into motion. As such, he's like the mirror universe version of Jake Spoon. It's July's brother who's accidently shot (by Jake Spoon) that triggers his call of duty. From there, we learn intimately about July's family / job as Sheriff of Fort Smith, AR, and what transpires when he begrudgingly sets out to bring his brother's killer, Jake Spoon, to justice.
Regarding Jake Spoon, again he's essentially the antithesis of July Johnson (except in the looks department). Therefore, despite July being considerably younger than Jake, they're equally handsome men - July the lawman and Jake the outlaw.
And what teases the latter truth that much more is the fact that Jake Spoon started out, years prior, as a lawman (Texas Ranger) himself.
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July Johnson is loyal to a fault. His position as Sheriff, his wife, Elmira, her son, Joe, his moral convictions - all these he's deeply committed. As such, July represents the law, no matter where he's at, faithfully. His wife, Elmira, who's (unbeknownst to him) pregnant with his child, he loves endearingly and feigns over primally (despite her disdain / boredom with him). Elmira's son, Joe, July dedicates himself to wholeheartedly despite there being no biological tie between the two of them. And then there're his moral convictions. July refuses to gamble, drink or fornicate (with whores or otherwise). In fact, his stoic outlook therein coincides moreso with Captain Woodrow Call than any other character within the novel (more on Woodrow Call within a later post).
Yet, July Johnson feels deeply and so very healthily / maturedly and is undeniable in showing / processing it - within almost every circumstance. He is the epitome of emotional constipation. And this is especially the case when he's around women. Yet, these feelings aren't for the women themselves. Instead, they're tangential feelings that are drawn out by the feminine. Feelings that are much deeper and more permanent than those anchored within sole physical attraction of any kind (same or opposite sex).
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Jake Spoon.
What else can I say?
He's the ladies man. The gambler, the carouser with quite the uncalibrated moral compass. Jake is loyal to no one but himself and his desires. He's absolutely cognizant of his attributes / weaknesses / likes / dislikes, and is by no means looking to expand his horizons any further as a human being. Hence, he's a true coward amongst men whilst being a swashbuckler amongst the beauties. Jake loves physical pleasure in any form, but first & foremost, he's drawn to beautiful, sexually available women.
To survive, he gambles, always looking for a sucker to beat, going city to city (town to town) holing up in saloons (w/ whorehouses upstairs).
And, oh man, Jake's relationships with the whores is really one of the primary drivers of the plot. Due to this, you might assume his swagger equates to some semblance of emotional maturation. That assumption couldn't be farther from the truth.
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The ultimate resolution for each of these characters is markedly different, but each fitting to who they are morally. I like this about the plot, though so many of the minor characters aren't judged with the same weights & measures.
And that's where the shocking brutality comes in.
It's not gratuitous but McMurtry absolutely doesn't pull in punches.
Do yourself a favor and pick up this tome today. If for any reason other than following the contrast between these two very memorable characters. They're so vibrantly realistic. You're bound to find both yourself and so many other Samson brothers along the July Johnson / Jake Spoon spectrum.
