Larry McMurtry books in order
American novelist, essayist, bookseller and screenwriter
- Lived
- 1936–2021
- Country
- United States
- Books
- 46
- Series
- 1
Larry McMurtry published 36 novels, 1 short story collection, 7 non-fiction books and 2 plays, beginning with The Last Picture Show by Larry McMurtry (Dell Paperback First Printing November 1971) (1971). The series is Lonesome Dove (4 books, starting with Lonesome Dove). The best-known is Lonesome Dove (1985).
Updated September 2026
Lonesome Dove books in order (4)Series page
Reading order: 1 Lonesome Dove (1985) · 2 Streets of Laredo (1993) · 3 Dead Man's Walk (1995) · 4 Comanche Moon (1997)
- 1.
Lonesome Dove (1985)
- 2.
Streets of Laredo (1993)
- 3.
Dead Man's Walk (1995)
- 4.
Comanche Moon (Nov 1997)
Where to start with Larry McMurtry
Start here
Lonesome Dove
Larry McMurtry's most-read book and the first of the 4 Lonesome Dove books.
Standalone novels in order
Leaving Cheyenne (1962)
Moving On (1970)
The Last Picture Show by Larry McMurtry (Dell Paperback First Printing November 1971) (1971)
All My Friends Are Going to Be Strangers (1972)
Terms of Endearment (1975)
Cadillac Jack (1982)
The Desert Rose (1983)
Horseman, Pass by (1984)
Somebody's Darling (1986)
Texasville (1987)
Anything for Billy (1988)
Some Can Whistle (1989)
Buffalo Girls (1990)
Evening Star (1992)
Pretty Boy Floyd (1994)
The Late Child (1995)
Zeke and Ned (1997)
Walter Benjamin at the Dairy Queen (1999)
Boone's Lick (2000)
By Sorrow's River (2001)
Sin Killer (2002)
The Wandering Hill (2003)
Folly and Glory (2004)
Loop Group (2004)
Telegraph Days (2006)
Duane's Depressed (2007)
When the Light Goes (2007)
Books (2008)
Rhino Ranch (2009)
Custer (2012)
The Berrybender Narratives (2012)
The Last Kind Words Saloon (2014)
Short story collections in order
Still Wild (2000)
Non-fiction in order
In a Narrow Grave (1968)
Crazy Horse (1999)
Roads (2000)
Sacagawea's Nickname (2001)
Oh What a Slaughter (2005)
The Colonel and Little Missie (2005)
Literary Life (2009)
Plays in order
Film Flam (1987)
Hollywood (2010)
Film and TV adaptations
- Lonesome DoveTV · from Lonesome Dove
- Buffalo Girls (1995)TV · from Buffalo Girls
- Streets of Laredo (1995)TV · from Streets of Laredo
- Comanche MoonTV · from Comanche Moon
About Larry McMurtry
Larry Jeff McMurtry was an American novelist, essayist, and screenwriter whose work was predominantly set in either the Old West or contemporary Texas. During a career spanning six decades, he wrote more than thirty novels, numerous essays and memoirs, and approximately fifty screenplays. Films adapted from McMurtry's works earned 34 Oscar nominations with 13 wins, and his novels were the basis for several television miniseries.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Larry McMurtry FAQ
- How many books has Larry McMurtry written?
- Larry McMurtry published 36 novels, 1 short story collection, 7 non-fiction books and 2 plays that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Larry McMurtry's books in?
- Read each series in its own order: start Lonesome Dove with Lonesome Dove. The other books stand alone and can be read in any order.
- What is Larry McMurtry's last book?
- The Last Kind Words Saloon (2014).
- What is Larry McMurtry's most famous book?
- Lonesome Dove (1985) is Larry McMurtry's most widely read book.
- Are Larry McMurtry's books connected?
- 4 books belong to 1 series (Lonesome Dove); the other 42 books stand alone.
- Which Larry McMurtry books have been adapted?
- 4 books have been adapted for film or TV, including Lonesome Dove (TV), Buffalo Girls (TV, 1995), Streets of Laredo (TV, 1995) and Comanche Moon (TV).
Authors like Larry McMurtry
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.