Adapted into the classic 1963 Neo-Western starring Paul Newman, Patricia Neal, and Melvyn Douglas.

Written by Larry McMurtry, who almost singlehandedly kept the serious but popular Western novel alive during the last half of the 20th century, Hud is one of many novels published after World War II era that dealt with the clash between principled individuals who respect laws and norms and the self-styled renegades and outlaws who may participate in a collective enterprise but actually would rather have everything to themselves, on their terms.

The title character, Hud, is a charismatic, disreputable Texas ranch hand who clashes with his boss, his straitlaced father Homer, over how to handle a hoof-and-mouth disease outbreak in the family's livestock population. Homer advises destroying the herd, as authorities require them to do, while Hud argues that it's better to unload the cattle for a low price without telling the sellers they're sick, so that the disaster won't be a total loss. Teenaged ranch hand Lonnie—whose late father was Hud's older brother and Homer's other son—wavers between the two the examples of manhood that define his world, but usually lines up with Hud because he's more exciting.

"Lonnie, little by little the look of the country changes because of the men we admire," Homer tells his grand-nephew. "You're just going to have to make up your own mind one day about what's right and what's wrong." Hud's advice is very different: "You don't look out for yourself, the only helping hand you'll ever get is when they lower the box."

These are used copies of the first edition (but not first printing) of the mass market paperback, published as a tie-in with the 1963 movie and given the same title, even though the source novel has Hud as a supporting character, not the protagonist, and was titled Horseman, Pass By. Copies sold by this story are in good condition for their age (60+ years), with yellowed pages and a slightly faded cover but no interior markings.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Larry McMurtry was the author of twenty-nine novels, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning Lonesome Dove. His other works include two collections of essays, three memoirs, and more than thirty screenplays, including the coauthorship of Brokeback Mountain, for which he received an Academy Award. His most recent novel, When the Light Goes, is available from Simon & Schuster. He lived in Archer City, Texas.

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B003S9XP52
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Popular Library
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 1, 1963
• Edition ‏ : ‎ 1st
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 143 pages
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 3.2 ounces