Larry McMurtry (1936–2021)

As a prequel to Lonesome Dove, this is the reader's first introduction to Call and Gus and their budding friendship. Together they join an expedition from Texas to New Mexico. They, along with 200 other men, cross a landscape fraught with danger at every turn. Apache and Comanche natives that could steal a captain's horse or thirty without a sound; slit your throat without disturbing a single sleeping comrade. Mexican armies trying to defend "their land" from the Texans. Hunger and thirst at every mile. There are so many ways to die: falling over a cliff, drowning in a river, bleeding to death as a result of a scalping or throat cutting, arrow or lance through the heart, hanging, burning, whipping, suicide, starvation, freezing, exhaustion, thirst, firing squad, crushed by a horse, snake bite, spider bite, suicide, being run down by a buffalo, or gored by a bear. Things turn from bad to worse when the Rangers are captured and forced into a dead man's walk across the desert in leg irons. Be forewarned - only a few will survive.
Please keep in mind, Dead Man's Walk was published in 1995 and takes place years before one needed to be politically correct. In the spirit of authenticity of the era, one will have to endure racism and sexism on multiple levels. In contrast, McMurtry several times acknowledges native ownership of the land Call and Gus travel.
The opening line of Dead Man's Walk reminded me of a line from Josh Ritter's song "Myrna Loy" for she had a wolf pup at her heels and a snow white rabbit huddled in her arms. It wasn't a 200lb prostitute carrying a snapping turtle by the tail...but close.… (meer)