Cadillac Jack

By Larry McMurtry

Book Overview

In Cadillac Jack, Larry McMurtry--Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Lonesome Dove--proves his unique talent for conjuring up the real, often eccentric people who inhabit the American heartland and for capturing the peculiarly American search for new frontiers and adventure.

Cadillac Jack is a rodeo-cowboy-turned-antique-scout whose nomadic, womanizing life--centered on his classic pearl-colored Cadillac--rambles between the Texas flatlands of flea markets and small-time auctions and Washington, D.C.'s political-social life of parties, hustlers, vixens, and spies. Along the way he meets a cast of indelibly etched characters: among them, the strikingly beautiful, social-climbing Cindy Sanders; Boog Miller, the tackily-dressing millionaire good ol' boy who patronizes Jack's business and who has more political muscle than a litter of lobbyists; Khaki Descartes, the pushy, brain-picking, Washington woman reporter; Freddy Fu, an undercover CIA agent working out of a greasy barbecue joint called The Cover-Up; and Jean Arber, the mother of two and a fledgling antique-store owner who can't quite figure out if she'll marry Jack or not.

Wild, touching, and hilariously funny, Cadillac Jack is Larry McMurtry's raucous social satire of sex, politics, and love in the fast lane, peopled with Americans only he could render.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0684853833
• ISBN13: 9780684853833
• Release Date: April 2002
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Length: 400 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.2" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Cowboy Angel Meets Pack Rat

With the exception of reviews of both the book and movie versions of The Last Picture Show in this space the usual reference I make to Larry McMurtry concerns his thoughtful reviews of the history of the Old West in the New York Review of Books (most recently on General Custer, March 6, 2008). Despite that merely nodding acquaintance I know three things about Mr. McMurtry from those articles. McMurtry loves books, I mean he really loves them. I understand that he is the consummate bookseller/pack rat. He loves, as mentioned above, the Old West; a place where he grew up (deep in the heart of Texas) and from the themes of his books formed a huge imprint on his character. And he loves to talk about swap meets and the vagaries of pack ratdom. That last point is important here because this seemingly bedraggled, scorned and misunderstood profession is central to the story that he tells here. The plot line is pretty straightforward. Cadillac Jack is an ex-professional cowboy turned (to be kind) second-hand entrepreneur riding far and wide throughout the country in search of El Dorado- that elusive million-dollar treasure to be found at a flea market stall. At least that is his cover for this story. But we know from McMurtry's coming of age book The Last Picture Show that this is really about a man in search of himself and where he stands in the world. Especially with women. In other words the real eternal quest. The major action of the story is centered in the secondary power lanes of Washington, D.C. Now we all know what one can expect will happen to an old cowboy when he gets messed up with that crowd. They make bull riding or auction cruising seem like a day in the park. But, Cadillac could handle that all and have time for lunch if he could solve what ails him and that is the above-mentioned woman question (surprise, surprise) although he seems to have had more than his fair share of interesting experiences with them. What ties the whole story together, as in my limited experience with McMurtry's s work he seems always able to do, are the doings (and undoings) of a strong secondary set of characters (some displaced Texans, some not) who are either buying or selling something, not always legally. Needless to say I need to investigate Mr. McMurtry's work further. But, dear reader, this is not a bad place to start.

Life was meant to be lived;and CJ sure knew how....

This was the first McMurtry novel that I read.I like earthy stories;and boy was this a dandy.If you enjoy novels like Cannery Row,Tobacco Road or anything by Kinky Friedman you should like Cadallic Jack.I enjoyed it so much,I started reading the rest of McMurtrys novels.So far, I found it the most humorous,entertaining and lighthearted of the ones I've read.He has written the episodes so well you feel you are travelling right along with him and loving every moment of it. I assume a lot of these stories are fictional ,in whole or in part,but are probably based on some of the authors experiences. What I have come to like about McMurtry's books is that they are all so different from one another;and I think this one is the most different. If there is any truth about this character,there should a law against it;nobody should be allowed to have that much fun--not one person.

Sharp writing, wonderful insights, a period piece...

A wonderful character study, a period piece first published back in 1982, filled with wit and satire and mighty fine writing. Best book/antique scout book I've read since John Dunning's BOOKED TO DIE. It also reminds me of Paul Theroux's more recent HOTEL HONOLULU in tone, and as in that funny novel, some of the chapters here could stand alone as short stories.I picture Cadillac Jack as looking like Kinky Friedman or Richard Boone, narrating the story in a Texas accent, boots propped up on the liar's bench, eyes arcing under the cowboy hat in a bet-you-can't-top-this-one slant.What a pleasant surprise! An amazing character. An amazing yarn.

When offered a coffeecup do not expect to find a beer inside

These are the words of our classic Anton Chekhov. Does McMartry advertise Cadillac Jack as another Terms of Endearment? Why it's wrong to be entertained and ask yourself - So what?- when the book is finished? The book is funny,unpretentious and concise. I made myself finish Moving On, dropped all these prequels & sequels to Lonesome Dove and Terms of Endearment halfway through, gasping at McMurtry's productivity, enjoyed his Pulitzer Prize winner and the book the Oscar winner is based on. But it's the books like Cadillac Jack and Anything For Billy that gave me a few precious hours of enjoyment and relaxation. They are well above the mass market fare but they do not plan to enter the Booker's shortlist, perfectly satisfied with being what they are.