Feeling a bit overwhelmed here.
It seems “Lonesome Dove,” a hefty 1,000-page Western novel that snagged a Pulitzer Prize after its release in 1985, is seeing a revival. You can thank Stephen King, TikTok, and, well, a newfound fascination with cowboys for that.
Written by Larry McMurtry, the tale of a retired Texas Ranger herding cattle to Montana has been a hit, selling around 1.5 million copies since its debut. In just the last year, sales spiked to over 56,000 copies, according to BookScan, which keeps tabs on major retailers and some indie sellers.
At the Strand Bookstore in New York, their marketing director, Kat Pongrace, mentioned that they’ve sold double the copies of “Lonesome Dove” this year compared to last.
According to Simon & Schuster, the book’s publisher, this is the best sales year in over three decades. They pointed out that the last big sales push was back in 1993, following the airing of the miniseries “Return to Lonesome Dove.”
This June, to celebrate the 40th anniversary, the publisher released a new edition featuring a foreword by Taylor Sheridan, known for “Yellowstone,” along with an audio version narrated by Will Patton.
On TikTok, #lonesomedove boasts more than 7,000 posts, with most appearing in the past year and predominantly positive responses.
One BookToker, Nicole Pierce, shared her love for the book on the platform, saying she was totally engrossed. After Stephen King’s recommendation, she added it to her reading list, and was surprised by how quickly she got sucked in, despite her initial hesitation regarding its length.
Pearce, a Pilates instructor from Boston, told the Post that even when the plot seemed slow, the characters felt so real—flaws and all—that finishing the book felt like saying goodbye to close friends.
Simon & Schuster also credited authors Gia Tolentino and Stephanie Danler for generating buzz around the book.
Danler jokingly mentioned on social media how obsessed she is with “Lonesome Dove,” lamenting that she can’t seem to focus on anything else—just reading about old cowboys who avoid talking about emotions.
Tolentino included the novel in a summer reading list published in the New Yorker.
In the late ’80s and early ’90s, adaptations of such stories were a big deal. The original 1989 miniseries “Lonesome Dove,” which starred Tommy Lee Jones and Robert Duvall, even won several Emmy Awards and a Peabody Award. A sequel, “Return to Lonesome Dove,” followed in 1993.
Now, with renewed interest in the story, Teton Ridge Entertainment has acquired film rights from McMurtry’s estate, including follow-up books from the series. McMurtry’s writing partner and his grandson, country singer Curtis McMurtry, are involved in producing the project.
There’s also a broader cultural revival regarding cowboys and the American West. Popular shows like “Yellowstone” continue to draw audiences, and even celebrities like Bella Hadid are hooking up with rodeo cowboys. Meanwhile, country bars and line dancing events are popping up everywhere, like the “Honky Tonkin in Queens” nights in Ridgewood.
To keep up with demand, local libraries are ordering more copies of “Lonesome Dove,” particularly popular among younger women.
According to Sarah Healy, a librarian, “Books can’t sit on shelves for long.” She mentioned how there’s a growing appreciation for the focus that reading provides, and “Lonesome Dove” certainly facilitates that.
