Lonesome Dove - Definition and Overview

Lonesome Dove, written by Larry McMurtry, is a western genre novel and the first book of the Lonesome Dove series. The story follows the lives of retired Texas Rangers and cohorts as they drive cattle across the country to the unsettled lands of Montana.

It was originally developed as a theatrical motion picture, which was to have starred John Wayne, Henry Fonda, and James Stewart, and directed by Peter Bogdanovich. When plans fell through, the original screenplay went into limbo. McMurtry later resurrected the unproduced screenplay as a full-length novel, which became a best seller.

Lonesome Dove would eventually be made as a television miniseries in 1989. It starred Robert Duvall, Tommy Lee Jones, Diane Lane, and Anjelica Huston. The series was awarded six Emmy Awards and was nominated for 13 others.