"MADE OUR MUTUAL FRIEND FAMOUS": THE LAST PICTURE SHOW, INSCRIBED BY MCMURTRY

MCMURTRY, Larry. The Last Picture Show. New York: Dial, 1966. Octavo, original tan cloth, original dust jacket. $3000.

First edition of the Pulitzer Prize-winning author's landmark third novel, inscribed by him on the front free endpaper: "For Carlyle Strickland–The book that made the movie that made our mutual friend famous–with good wishes, Larry McMurtry."

"McMurtry is an alchemist who converts the basest materials to gold" (NY Times Book Review) with The Last Picture Show—one of his most memorable novels, in which the legendary Texas author and screenwriter introduced characters who would show up again in his later novels Texasville and Duane's Depressed. The book was the basis for the 1971 film directed by Peter Bogdanovich and co-written by McMurtry. Bruccoli & Clark IV, 262. The recipient, Carlyle Strickland, was a basketball all-star at Howard Payne University, an instructor at the University of Texas at Arlington and a personal friend of both McMurtry and Peter Bogdanovich. The latter cited Strickland (alongside McMurtry) in the foreword to The Killing of the Unicorn as one of several people "who, though they had little to do with the making of this book, nevertheless made considerable contributions—in very different ways—toward keeping me going over the three years of its writing; I will always be thankful for their friendship."

Book with one small dent to upper edge, otherwise fine, in a price-clipped dust jacket with minor toning and a few light smudges. A very good signed copy with a particularly appealing inscription.