Collector’s Uncorrected Proof / Advance Reading Copy: Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry

This listing offers a true cornerstone of modern American literature: an original Uncorrected Proof / Advance Reading Copy (ARC) of Lonesome Dove by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Larry McMurtry. Published in 1985 by Simon and Schuster, this monumental softcover proof represents the exceptionally scarce, pre-publication state of McMurtry’s masterwork, printed months before its official trade release to generate reviewer interest and early bookseller buzz.

Set in the late nineteenth century, Lonesome Dove chronicles an epic cattle drive from the dusty border town of Lonesome Dove, Texas, to the virgin pastures of Montana. Led by two contrasting, aging former Texas Rangers—the pragmatic Woodrow F. Call and the charismatic, philosophical Augustus "Gus" McCrae—the narrative weaves a tapestry of life on the American frontier populated by outlaws, native tribes, settlers, and lovers. Awarded the 1986 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, the novel revitalized Western literature, transforming from a critical triumph into a cultural phenomenon that spawned a famous 1989 television miniseries starring Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones.

Pre-publication proofs of Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpieces are notoriously elusive; due to the heavy handling typical of reviewer circulation, surviving copies are rarely encountered in sound condition. Bound in original bright yellow wrappers featuring the classic Simon and Schuster Sower logo alongside early promotional copy printed on the rear cover, this uncorrected state preserves McMurtry's raw narrative before final trade publication. It stands as a prime, highly desirable showpiece for discerning collectors of American fiction and Western Americana.

Edition & Bibliographic Specifications

• SIMON AND SCHUSTER UNCORRECTED PROOF: Published in New York in 1985 by Simon and Schuster.

• PRE-PUBLICATION METADATA: Front wrapper displays the publisher's logo alongside the text "Advance uncorrected proofs from SIMON AND SCHUSTER" and "Probable publication:". Rear cover features full promotional blurb detailing key characters, along with publisher ordering details.

• ORIGINAL PUBLISHER'S WRAPPERS: Bound in heavy yellow softcover card wrappers printed in bold black typography.

Provenance & Condition

• ADVANCE REVIEW COPY: Distributed strictly prior to publication for trade preview and critical review.

• CONDITION: Very Good state for a massive, fragile paper proof; tight spine with light reading creases, clean covers showing minor edge wear and light toning typical for this softcover stock, and clean interior text pages throughout.