authors – Texas History Notebook

“Dead Man’s Walk” – Prequel to “Lonesome Dove”

This volume was Larry McMurtry’s prequel to his epic cattle drive novel “Lonesome Dove.” “Dead Man’s Walk” was the third book in order of publication. A second prequel is “Comanche Moon” and the sequel is “Streets of Laredo.” A 1995 headline had stated that after Lonesome Dove, McMurtry planned “no ride into the sunset.”

Andrew Jackson Sowell, Author and Texas Ranger

Andrew Jackson Sowell was a native Texan born August 2, 1848 in Seguin, Texas to Asa Jarmon Lee Sowell and Mary Mildred Turner Sowell, one of about thirteen children born to the couple. He was named for an uncle of whom it is said fought in many major battles of the Texas Revolution including the Battles of Gonzales, Concepcion, the Grass Fight and others. The uncle was serving with the garrison of the Alamo but happened to be away on assignment with Byrd Lockhart buying cattle for the garrison when the Mexican seige began out or he would have died there. The uncle took part in the Council House Fight, the Battle of Plum Creek, the Battle of Salado Creek and served in the Mexican-American War. A large contingent of the Sowell family had come to Texas from Tennessee as a group around 1829, settling along the Blanco River.

Peter Aloysius Molyneaux

Peter Molyneaux was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on April 18, 1882 to James Molyneaux and Rosana Lawler Molyneaux and was the oldest child of the couple. There is not a lot of biographical information available regarding his parents but his father James was listed as a day laborer in the 1900 census. Peter was one of two sons and five daughters in the family.

Peter is not known to have had a great deal of formal education early on, but began to work in the newspaper business while he was still in his upper teens. By 1898, he was working for the New Orleans Daily News and soon became a reporter for that publication. Molyneaux later worked for other local publications including the New Orleans Item and Daily States.

Book Club of Texas

The organization known as the Book Club of Texas was conceived in late 1928 and formally created in 1929. Its purpose was laid out by Stanley Marcus of Dallas in a newspaper interview carried by the Houston Chronicle in its issue of November 25, 1928 in the copy below. Marcus said “The Book Club of Texas has been formed for the purpose of fostering arts pertaining to the production of fine books. It will function in two ways: first, by the publication of books that will typify the best standards of bookmaking, in regard to object matter, printing, binding and typographical design; second, by sponsoring exhibitions and lectures pertinent to these interests.” Marcus went on to describe the governance, membership and benefits to those who participate. The entity was set up as a not for profit and non commercial group and began operating in early 1929.

The Last Picture Show (1971)

The Last Picture Show was the 1971 film adaptation of Larry McMurtry’s novel of the same name. McMurtry’s 1966 release was the first of five books McMurtry wrote about life in Texas. Other McMurtry books related to “The Last Picture Show” are “Texasville,” “Duane’s Depressed,” “When the Light Goes Out” and “Rhino Ranch.” “Texasville” was also adapted to a film.