The Late Child [Mass Market Paperback]

Larry McMurtry (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1996

Devastated by her daughter's sudden death, ex-Vegas showgirl Harmony begins a cross-country journey with her five-year-old son and two outspoken sisters, an adventure that helps her rediscover hope. Reprint.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This sequel to The Desert Rose finds McMurtry's protagonist, a Vegas showgirl, at middle age and mourning the death of her daughter.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

McMurtry returns to the territory he mapped out in Terms of Endearment.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 480 pages
• Publisher: Pocket (November 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671568183
• ISBN-13: 978-0671568184
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,210,904 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Larry McMurtry is the author of twenty-nine novels, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning Lonesome Dove. His other works include two collections of essays, three memoirs, and more than thirty screenplays, including the coauthorship of Brokeback Mountain, for which he received an Academy Award. His most recent novel, When the Light Goes, is available from Simon & Schuster. He lives in Archer City, Texas.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Classic McMurtry: good story and characters whom you'll miss, March 21, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: The Late Child (Mass Market Paperback)

A nice sequel to The Desert Rose. In Harmony, the central character, McMurtry reveals someone who is so full of warmth, so open with her fears and misgivings and just so real that I found myself missing her when I finished the book. Of course, that's frequently effect that his main characters have upon me. I did feel, however, that he tried to juggle a few too many characters -- some of them were pretty lame. On the whole though, it is an enjoyable story with creative plot twists

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars McMurtry Celebrates Humanity, October 24, 2002

By 

Gregory T Whiteker (Charleston, WV United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Late Child (Hardcover)

Once again, Larry McMurtry writes with such unabashed compassion for people, warts and all, that I came away uplifted. This book is a perfect example of how McMurtry is the antidote to the Dr. Laura-style judgementalism which permeates our culture. In this book, McMurtry collects flawed folks, eloquently and humorously describes their mistakes and insecurities, then loves them anyway. When I'm in an over-critical mood, reading a McMurtry book is just the attitude adjustment I need.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Different is good sometimes......, September 3, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Late Child (Hardcover)

This book is different from McMurtry's other work. Accept it, and enjoy it for what it is. Some of the characters Harmony meets in her travels are hilarious. The three "ragheads" she meets in New York are adorable. In the past, you just couldn't trust McMurtry. You form a relationship with his characters, and he knocks them off. Not this time. Take it to the beach; you can't put it down. Sections are laugh-out-loud funny.