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whosevita's review against another edition
5.0
Best book of my 2023 no doubt
I love this book. I love the characters, i love the writing.
The hunkering for a time that is ending seen through the eyes of a diverse set of character. Each lovable in their own way. Martha a sad woman at the end of her life writing letters. Johns obsession and love for the beavers, a species he almost wiped out. Pansy, bartle. The sweet sad Dora. Blue the no good cowboy with a heart of gold.
I love Mccurty's work. He has such a way of making every character lovable even with a small mention. There was so much sadness but more because of all the stories you know must come to an end.
I love this book. I love the characters, i love the writing.
The hunkering for a time that is ending seen through the eyes of a diverse set of character. Each lovable in their own way. Martha a sad woman at the end of her life writing letters. Johns obsession and love for the beavers, a species he almost wiped out. Pansy, bartle. The sweet sad Dora. Blue the no good cowboy with a heart of gold.
I love Mccurty's work. He has such a way of making every character lovable even with a small mention. There was so much sadness but more because of all the stories you know must come to an end.
sozh's review against another edition
3.0
This is no "Lonesome Dove," but of course, few books are. In the end it's a good dose of melancholy, sadness, despair, drinking and death.
cluckingbell's review against another edition
2.0
Not bad, just utterly forgettable. Some similar themes to "Lonesome Dove," so I also felt like I'd heard this story already, only told much, much better the first time.
jessiphia's review against another edition
3.0
I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy this. Full of tropes and good ol western fun. Plot is non-existent.
katymvt's review against another edition
4.0
2020 Pop Sugar Reading Challenge-A Western
It's no Lonesome Dove, but I finally found another book by McMurtrey that I enjoyed.
It's the end of the west as the Old-timers know it. Buffalo Bill comes and rounds them up for his Wild West Show, but that gives them no peace, either. Just a great book about accepting or fighting agains the end of an era.
It's no Lonesome Dove, but I finally found another book by McMurtrey that I enjoyed.
It's the end of the west as the Old-timers know it. Buffalo Bill comes and rounds them up for his Wild West Show, but that gives them no peace, either. Just a great book about accepting or fighting agains the end of an era.
celestelee's review against another edition
5.0
I listened to this on audio and it was a most enjoyable experience. The voice of the narrator was on target and the harmonica playing between sections added to the ambience. Some complained that the book was plotless. I disagree. This is a timeless story of inevitable change and the struggle of a generation to hold on to their way of life in the midst of it as time marches on. Mr. McMurtry I am a fan for life.
bookslovejenna's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Five things about Buffalo Girls by Larry McMurtry 4/5⭐️s
1. This was my first McMurtry. I wanted to do a test run before I dive into Lonesome Dove next year and make sure we get along. Happy to say, we do.
2. I’ve always had a softy spot for Calamity Jane. My great-grandfather crossed paths with an elderly Jane in his South Dakota childhood. Said boys would run past her front porch trying to avoid being spat on. :)
3. This book explores her humanity through a story arc that starts near the end. An older Jane, in a no longer so Wild West reflects on her life in letters to the daughter she does not know but loves.
4. We get to see her through her own eyes and the eyes of those that love snd understand her even if she doesn’t know it.
5. I think I have to stop saying I struggle with westerns. I’ve read several this year that are impossible not to love.
1. This was my first McMurtry. I wanted to do a test run before I dive into Lonesome Dove next year and make sure we get along. Happy to say, we do.
2. I’ve always had a softy spot for Calamity Jane. My great-grandfather crossed paths with an elderly Jane in his South Dakota childhood. Said boys would run past her front porch trying to avoid being spat on. :)
3. This book explores her humanity through a story arc that starts near the end. An older Jane, in a no longer so Wild West reflects on her life in letters to the daughter she does not know but loves.
4. We get to see her through her own eyes and the eyes of those that love snd understand her even if she doesn’t know it.
5. I think I have to stop saying I struggle with westerns. I’ve read several this year that are impossible not to love.
grayduck's review against another edition
Reviewed 4/21/2005
Annotation:
This is the story of Calamity Jane, an icon of the Old West whose legend grew far beyond her humble and tragic reality. Calamity and her friends are old-timers – the mountain men Bone and Ragg, showman Buffalo Bill Cody, amiable prospector Potato Creek Johnny, famous madam Dora DuFran, rancher Blue Abbot, brilliant but self-absorbed riflewoman Annie Oakley; and Sitting Bull and No Ears, two of the last remaining Indian Elders. Watching herself decline into alcoholism and obsolescence, Calamity and the others become caricatures of themselves in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show. They try to maintain their lifestyle in a more genteel, civilized West and reflect upon their past lives as the survivors of a fast, mean, and passionate world that has all but disappeared. Through reflection, re-creating their world in the Wild West Show, and Calamity Jane’s letters, the reader is given a glimpse of their lawless and fiery world.
Real Review:
As much as I enjoyed it, it grew rather depressing. Calamity is usually helpless drunk, the supporting cast of characters are all aging in a world that they don't belong in, Dora's love story is tragic, and Wild Bill's putting them into a show - making caricatures of themselves - was rather surreal and sad. Becoming a legend within your lifetime is one thing, but to play yourself in a show because your world is that far removed from the modern world - it's just disturbing.
The way it is written - mostly from third-person Calamity perspective, with some letters thrown in - is very good. At first I was turned off by the letters: Calamity is writing to her daughter, Janey, who lives far away and is getting a good, proper upbringing. It was kind of distracting, but luckily the letters became fewer and shorter as the story went on.
This book doesn't have the same feel as Lonesome Dove - probably due to the timeframe (after the old west).
McMurtry is amazingly skilled at two things in particular: description without waxing poetic, and conversation. The conversations between Bone and Ragg and the quiet contemplation of No Ears are some of the greatest strengths of this book. Calamity and Dora have a strong relationship - but it pales in comparison. I grew to adore No Ears.
As with all McMurtry books, there's a solid resolution for just about everything. He's not much for loose ends. Unfortunately for the aging Old West Old-timers...that's usually death. You've got to expect that, though. It is rather depressing (and I feel weird saying this) that so many of them met their maker in quiet, normal ways - not in a hail of gunfire or a heroic feat, the way that Old West heroes always seem to go.
Annotation:
This is the story of Calamity Jane, an icon of the Old West whose legend grew far beyond her humble and tragic reality. Calamity and her friends are old-timers – the mountain men Bone and Ragg, showman Buffalo Bill Cody, amiable prospector Potato Creek Johnny, famous madam Dora DuFran, rancher Blue Abbot, brilliant but self-absorbed riflewoman Annie Oakley; and Sitting Bull and No Ears, two of the last remaining Indian Elders. Watching herself decline into alcoholism and obsolescence, Calamity and the others become caricatures of themselves in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show. They try to maintain their lifestyle in a more genteel, civilized West and reflect upon their past lives as the survivors of a fast, mean, and passionate world that has all but disappeared. Through reflection, re-creating their world in the Wild West Show, and Calamity Jane’s letters, the reader is given a glimpse of their lawless and fiery world.
Real Review:
As much as I enjoyed it, it grew rather depressing. Calamity is usually helpless drunk, the supporting cast of characters are all aging in a world that they don't belong in, Dora's love story is tragic, and Wild Bill's putting them into a show - making caricatures of themselves - was rather surreal and sad. Becoming a legend within your lifetime is one thing, but to play yourself in a show because your world is that far removed from the modern world - it's just disturbing.
The way it is written - mostly from third-person Calamity perspective, with some letters thrown in - is very good. At first I was turned off by the letters: Calamity is writing to her daughter, Janey, who lives far away and is getting a good, proper upbringing. It was kind of distracting, but luckily the letters became fewer and shorter as the story went on.
This book doesn't have the same feel as Lonesome Dove - probably due to the timeframe (after the old west).
McMurtry is amazingly skilled at two things in particular: description without waxing poetic, and conversation. The conversations between Bone and Ragg and the quiet contemplation of No Ears are some of the greatest strengths of this book. Calamity and Dora have a strong relationship - but it pales in comparison. I grew to adore No Ears.
As with all McMurtry books, there's a solid resolution for just about everything. He's not much for loose ends. Unfortunately for the aging Old West Old-timers...that's usually death. You've got to expect that, though. It is rather depressing (and I feel weird saying this) that so many of them met their maker in quiet, normal ways - not in a hail of gunfire or a heroic feat, the way that Old West heroes always seem to go.
raesengele's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
larrys's review against another edition
4.0
This is the first Larry McMurtry novel I've read, though the films based on some of his books are among my most favorite. I haven't seen the TV film version of this, and didn't know it existed, and I didn't know anything much about Calamity Jane, either. About halfway through the novel I looked her up and realised the cast of characters was based (to a certain extent) on real historical figures, or at least upon the myths surrounding them.
I really enjoyed this book, and appreciated some of the things McMurtry does well that other novelists often don't. For example, I was impressed at how he introduced the characters in such a way that they were easy to remember. He did this by repeating both their names and who they were and sometimes how they got their names, before expecting us to have memorised who was who. Calamity's letters to her daughter were one way of doing this. Another thing McMurtry did consistently was mentioning the name of the viewpoint character in the very first sentence of a new chapter. Since the viewpoints kept changing with the chapters, this was important to do, but I've read some books lately where this courtesy hasn't been extended to the reader, leaving me wonder when I begin each chapter who the hell I'm meant to be reading about.
The wild-west setting is wonderful -- I'm a big fan of Little House On The Prairie, though most stories about cowboys and Indians are too white hat/black hat for my likings. A good, character based story set in the West is perfect, and I realised how much I liked the setting when the troupe went to London. I couldn't wait for them to get back.
This is a surprisingly humorous book, though these were hard lives. The middle-aged characters are actually nearing the ends of their lives, and some of them die endearingly innocent. The character of No Ears is particularly appealing.
I'd give this book five stars only I am not a fan of the ending. There seems too little evidence that Calamity was intersex, so to hammer it home so definitely seems an unnecessary disservice to the real historical figure. On the other hand, the choice to reveal that Janey wasn't real seemed to fit, despite the questions around the existence of Calamity's daughter.
I really enjoyed this book, and appreciated some of the things McMurtry does well that other novelists often don't. For example, I was impressed at how he introduced the characters in such a way that they were easy to remember. He did this by repeating both their names and who they were and sometimes how they got their names, before expecting us to have memorised who was who. Calamity's letters to her daughter were one way of doing this. Another thing McMurtry did consistently was mentioning the name of the viewpoint character in the very first sentence of a new chapter. Since the viewpoints kept changing with the chapters, this was important to do, but I've read some books lately where this courtesy hasn't been extended to the reader, leaving me wonder when I begin each chapter who the hell I'm meant to be reading about.
The wild-west setting is wonderful -- I'm a big fan of Little House On The Prairie, though most stories about cowboys and Indians are too white hat/black hat for my likings. A good, character based story set in the West is perfect, and I realised how much I liked the setting when the troupe went to London. I couldn't wait for them to get back.
This is a surprisingly humorous book, though these were hard lives. The middle-aged characters are actually nearing the ends of their lives, and some of them die endearingly innocent. The character of No Ears is particularly appealing.
I'd give this book five stars only I am not a fan of the ending. There seems too little evidence that Calamity was intersex, so to hammer it home so definitely seems an unnecessary disservice to the real historical figure. On the other hand, the choice to reveal that Janey wasn't real seemed to fit, despite the questions around the existence of Calamity's daughter.
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