100 books like Larry McMurtry

This book is a profound meditation on human resilience that never fails to move me. I'm constantly in awe of Hemingway's ability to weave so much meaning into such a deceptively simple tale. The way Santiago's unwavering determination shines through, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds, resonates deeply with me.

I find myself returning to this book time and time again, drawing inspiration from the old man's quiet strength and dignity. The vivid portrayal of man's relationship with nature—both its beauty and its harsh realities—leaves me breathless. What I love most is how Hemingway captures the essence of the human spirit in Santiago's struggle, reminding me that true victory lies not in the outcome but in the perseverance of the journey.

This book is unequaled for its raw, inspiring portrayal of human resilience. Louis Zamperini's journey from troubled youth to Olympian to war hero captivated me from the first page. I was deeply moved by his unwavering spirit in the face of unimaginable hardships, especially during his harrowing 46 days at sea and brutal experiences as a POW.

I felt as if I were right there with Louis, experiencing every triumph and setback. What touched me most was Louis's eventual path to forgiveness and redemption. His ability to overcome trauma and alcoholism, rekindle his marriage, and find peace left me in awe. This book reminded me of the incredible strength of the human spirit and the power of forgiveness. I couldn't put it down and still find myself thinking about Louis's remarkable story.

Jim Harrison's book is a masterpiece. I love how Harrison crafts Dalva's character; she's simultaneously tender and tough, with a complexity that resonated deeply with me. I found myself completely immersed in her world. The bold narrative structure, especially the contrasting voice of Michael, thrilled me as a reader. I love how Harrison fearlessly explores themes of loss, resilience, and self-discovery through Dalva's journey.

The vivid portrayal of the American West and its history added layers that I found fascinating. What I appreciate most is Harrison's prose—it's so powerful that I often find myself rereading passages just to savor the language. This book touched me profoundly.

I wholeheartedly embraced this book by Roland Lazenby. It's a slam dunk of a biography that left me in awe of Jordan's unparalleled drive and impact. I was captivated by Lazenby's masterful storytelling, which brought MJ's journey to life in vivid detail. I found myself completely immersed in the highs and lows of Jordan's career, from his early setbacks to his iconic championships.

What I appreciated most was how Lazenby delved beyond the court, offering insights into Jordan's personal struggles and business acumen. This book deepened my admiration for Jordan, not just as a player but as a complex individual who reshaped sports culture. I couldn't put it down and came away with a newfound appreciation for the man behind the legend.

Did you know that Ray Bradbury wrote mysteries? He wrote a few toward the end of his career, and they’re set in the deeply weird world of Southern California, which immediately makes them off-kilter. Death is a Lonely Business follows a nameless protagonist—a writer, by the way—who gets drawn into a mysterious series of…Disappearances? Murders? Perhaps just bad luck? Filled with noir-inspired settings but with that ineffable Bradbury twist of the fantastic, this is a book for late nights and nostalgia. Strange and puzzling, and always ready to twist your expectations.

Yes, this is technically a “celebrity memoir,” but Day is in a unique position of not only growing up in gaming culture but rising to fame because of it. While only two of the chapters in her book are about specific games she played, one of those games does become the basis for the show that launched her career. It’s interesting to read how she navigated the early days of YouTube and created and marketed the show with basically no budget. As someone who has frequently tried (and failed) to create game-related content of my own, it was nice to see what a self-made success story can look like.

Carroll is simply a great writer—more on the literature end of the book spectrum.

Nonetheless, this book gripped me as if it were a best-selling thriller. Sleeping in Flame confounded my expectations at every turn, and at times it seemed as though it couldn’t possibly end with any sort of resolution. But it does—in mind-expanding fashion.

I also try to take readers on the same sort of mysterious journey that Carroll’s protagonist hazards. Sometimes it’s challenging to imagine what would be a realistic reaction to a truly extraordinary event. Then I remember some of the stories I’ve heard in sessions as a psychotherapist.

Renowned cultural historian Thomas Doherty provides a granular, blow-by-blow retelling of the events that led to the Hollywood blacklist. He places particular emphasis on the hearings as a ‘media-political spectacle,’ seeing it as the first such media event of the postwar era. He reexamines the events through a close and careful reading of press and media responses of the time. Less cinema-centric than other accounts, and less mesmerized by key individuals, Doherty gives us a cool, skeptical perspective on what is often an emotive or partisan discourse. There is much detail on how filmmakers, activists, politicians, newspaper and radio figures acted, and for what reasons, and how and why the post-war hearings played out as they did. The result is a sophisticated cultural history of the blacklist era.

This is one of those books where fantasy meets reality. It's about a woman who finally takes a chance on herself—instead of wondering, "What if I moved to LA to pursue my screenwriting dreams?", she is forced to go and do it. And when she does, it leads to explosive and unexpected results.

I loved the enemies-to-lovers feel of this, and the message that while life isn't perfect, we can be grateful for the good things we do have.

If you combined a personal essay with a compelling travelogue and wove in thoroughly researched history, you’d get Ian Frazier’s book The Great Plains. Frazier’s excellent writing immediately pulled me into his rambles across one of the least visited, and least understood, portions of our country. I learned so much about the Great Plains without even trying by simply reading this great book. If you’re already a fan, or if you’ve never really considered the Great Plains, this book will enlighten and inspire you to learn more and maybe even visit this sprawling, and important, American landscape.