Something to Be Desired [Paperback]

Thomas McGuane (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 12, 1985

A physical novel in which Lucien Taylor, a native son of Montana, embarks on a half-witted, half-unwilling journey into self-discovery.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

A physical novel in which Lucien Taylor, a native son of Montana, embarks on a half-witted, half-unwilling journey into self-discovery.

About the Author

Thomas McGuane lives in Sweet Grass County, Montana. He is the author of eight previous novels and a collection of stories, as well as two collections of essays.

Product Details

• Paperback: 188 pages
• Publisher: Vintage (April 12, 1985)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0394731565
• ISBN-13: 978-0394731568
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.4 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,532,441 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of McGuane's Best, December 7, 1999

By 

Frank (North Carolina) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Something to Be Desired (Paperback)

I've read this great book in the past (twice) and stopped at this listing to buy some copies as Christmas gifts for friends. I can't believe the low "star" rating among Amazon's customers -- this is one of Thomas McGuane's best works. All of his novels are slim on plot but saturated with character(s) and atmosphere. He doesn't create who-done-it page-turners, but rather outstanding writing about slices of American life, usually a very thin slice that is fast disappearing. Something To Be Desired ranges from hilarious to sad to bizarre to realistic. Read this book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Bentrock Chronicle, March 10, 2009

By 

Mark A. York "Reporter" (Sunland, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Something to Be Desired (Paperback)

If there's ever been a better picture painted of life in Livingston, Montana, I haven't read it. The town is the real life Deadrock of course, and what makes it unique is the memorable characters who inhabit the place. The hilariously flawed Lucien doesn't let bad fortune, family estrangement, or loss of love get him down. That's a mighty handy quality to have in a place like Deadrock. McGuane's novels are unique regardless of the decade he wrote them. The 1980's in this case. Who wouldn't like to inherit a ranch up the Shields Valley by default? And then turn it into another roadside attraction? Locals are doing that right now only with oil and gas wells. At least Lucien didn't inherit the land. He won it fair and square by opportunism and endurance. Sometimes you have to outlast 'em and then make hay. Important aspects of the human condition are crystal clear and humorously drawn.

3.0 out of 5 stars Left something to be desired, March 29, 2003

By 

David Bonesteel (Fresno, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Something to Be Desired (Paperback)

This slim volume tells the story of Lucien Taylor, a man who walked away from his family and then tried to work his way back. It is sporadically effective in its representation of a self-destructive man and has an honest resolution, but its minimalist style distanced me from the characters. At times, I also felt the Heavy Hand of Symbolism, as in the character of Emily, who is apparently meant to represent the lure of the dangerous unknown.