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Coyote: The Dramatic Lives of Sam Shepard
A revelatory, magisterial biography of Sam Shepard—the dark, rugged genius of modern American theater and film, “the poet laureate of America’s emotional badlands” (Jack Kroll).
Sam Shepard was a true American original. A theater and film icon who lived life on a mythic scale, Shepard became an embodiment of the fierce independence and wild freedom of the American West. Taking us from the creative explosion of downtown New York City in the 1960s to Bob Dylan’s legendary Rolling Thunder Revue tour, from Hollywood backlots and film shoots in the Mojave Desert to the horse ranches where Shepard went to escape it all, Robert M. Dowling’s biography reveals this playwright, actor, and filmmaker as we’ve never known him before.
In this authoritative and gripping biography, acclaimed biographer Robert M. Dowling dives into Shepard’s psyche, his imagination and his soul, to craft the most comprehensive and revelatory account yet of Shepard’s enduring work and tumultuous life. Ranging from Shepard’s romances with icons like Patti Smith, Joni Mitchell, and Jessica Lange, to his groundbreaking artistic contributions to theater and film like True West, Buried Child, The Right Stuff, Days of Heaven, and Paris, Texas, Dowling draws on previously untapped archival resources and the help of members of Shepard’s family, close friends, lovers, and collaborators to place this artistic legacy in the context of the historic upheavals that compelled this extraordinary writer to so vividly record the American zeitgeist. In this biography, we see Shepard’s life, and his era, in all its splendor and chaos, from the 1960s counterculture to the rise of Trumpism.
Situating the facts of Shepard’s spirited and darkly complex personality alongside keen analyses of Shepard’s ingenious writing, this new biography couples rich storytelling with scholarly rigor to present the definitive biography of one of America’s most innovative and troubled creative geniuses.
Sam Shepard was a true American original. A theater and film icon who lived life on a mythic scale, Shepard became an embodiment of the fierce independence and wild freedom of the American West. Taking us from the creative explosion of downtown New York City in the 1960s to Bob Dylan’s legendary Rolling Thunder Revue tour, from Hollywood backlots and film shoots in the Mojave Desert to the horse ranches where Shepard went to escape it all, Robert M. Dowling’s biography reveals this playwright, actor, and filmmaker as we’ve never known him before.
In this authoritative and gripping biography, acclaimed biographer Robert M. Dowling dives into Shepard’s psyche, his imagination and his soul, to craft the most comprehensive and revelatory account yet of Shepard’s enduring work and tumultuous life. Ranging from Shepard’s romances with icons like Patti Smith, Joni Mitchell, and Jessica Lange, to his groundbreaking artistic contributions to theater and film like True West, Buried Child, The Right Stuff, Days of Heaven, and Paris, Texas, Dowling draws on previously untapped archival resources and the help of members of Shepard’s family, close friends, lovers, and collaborators to place this artistic legacy in the context of the historic upheavals that compelled this extraordinary writer to so vividly record the American zeitgeist. In this biography, we see Shepard’s life, and his era, in all its splendor and chaos, from the 1960s counterculture to the rise of Trumpism.
Situating the facts of Shepard’s spirited and darkly complex personality alongside keen analyses of Shepard’s ingenious writing, this new biography couples rich storytelling with scholarly rigor to present the definitive biography of one of America’s most innovative and troubled creative geniuses.
480 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 4, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
January 2, 2026
Lassoing the Myth
While “Coyote: The Dramatic Lives of Sam Shepard” is a meticulously researched account of Sam Shepard's turbulent personal life, its main failing is the lack of a critical analysis of his dramatic genius.
Sam Shepard embodied an American ideal: a successful actor and acclaimed writer with a compelling cowboy persona. A prolific and highly respected playwright, his accolades include a Pulitzer Prize and ten Obie Awards, along with Oscar, Tony, and Emmy nominations. In Ireland, he was even hailed as the successor to Samuel Beckett. His acting resume includes notable films like “Days of Heaven” and “The Right Stuff.” Beyond his professional life, his high-profile relationships, such as those with Patti Smith, Joni Mitchell, and his decades-long partnership with Jessica Lange, also drew attention. Oh, and of course, he was a pretty decent rock and roll drummer. This was a star, many times over.
Shepard was haunted throughout his life by his troubled relationship with his abusive, alcoholic father. This emotional turmoil became a central motif in his work, frequently replayed in the intense confrontations depicted in his plays. Sam's father's challenges to his masculinity seemed to provoke an overcompensation, leading Sam to feel a need to prove his macho side. Tragically, he also inherited his father's alcoholism, a demon that ultimately sabotaged friendships and romantic relationships.
Robert M. Dowling's biography provides a detailed, intimate portrait of the man, leveraging Shepard's personal journals and family letters. However, a significant gap in the narrative is evident due to the lack of participation from key individuals, including his children, his first wife, O-Lan Jones (who is reportedly writing her own memoir), and Jessica Lange. This absence is particularly limiting; for instance, without his children's accounts, the book misses their perspective on his fatherhood, which is critical given the prominence of father-son conflict in his plays.
“Coyote” provides an excellent, detailed look at the Sam Shepard "myth," successfully covering his significant social connections, romantic life, and courageous approach to new endeavors. It offers a fascinating read about this unique American figure who succeeded in nearly all his ventures while constantly struggling with personal challenges. For any reader, the book is a worthwhile journey into the life of the man himself.
However, the book falls short in offering a deeper analysis of Shepard's dramatic output or what set it apart from his contemporaries. Although it asserts that his was a fresh voice, it focuses more on the public reception of his work than on actual critical analysis. Nevertheless, the book succeeds in its ultimate goal: prompting readers—especially theatre scholars—to revisit plays such as “Buried Child” or “True West” with a more informed perspective on the author's private life. For these scholars, this rereading serves as a perfect supplement to their existing knowledge.
Thank you to Scribner and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
While “Coyote: The Dramatic Lives of Sam Shepard” is a meticulously researched account of Sam Shepard's turbulent personal life, its main failing is the lack of a critical analysis of his dramatic genius.
Sam Shepard embodied an American ideal: a successful actor and acclaimed writer with a compelling cowboy persona. A prolific and highly respected playwright, his accolades include a Pulitzer Prize and ten Obie Awards, along with Oscar, Tony, and Emmy nominations. In Ireland, he was even hailed as the successor to Samuel Beckett. His acting resume includes notable films like “Days of Heaven” and “The Right Stuff.” Beyond his professional life, his high-profile relationships, such as those with Patti Smith, Joni Mitchell, and his decades-long partnership with Jessica Lange, also drew attention. Oh, and of course, he was a pretty decent rock and roll drummer. This was a star, many times over.
Shepard was haunted throughout his life by his troubled relationship with his abusive, alcoholic father. This emotional turmoil became a central motif in his work, frequently replayed in the intense confrontations depicted in his plays. Sam's father's challenges to his masculinity seemed to provoke an overcompensation, leading Sam to feel a need to prove his macho side. Tragically, he also inherited his father's alcoholism, a demon that ultimately sabotaged friendships and romantic relationships.
Robert M. Dowling's biography provides a detailed, intimate portrait of the man, leveraging Shepard's personal journals and family letters. However, a significant gap in the narrative is evident due to the lack of participation from key individuals, including his children, his first wife, O-Lan Jones (who is reportedly writing her own memoir), and Jessica Lange. This absence is particularly limiting; for instance, without his children's accounts, the book misses their perspective on his fatherhood, which is critical given the prominence of father-son conflict in his plays.
“Coyote” provides an excellent, detailed look at the Sam Shepard "myth," successfully covering his significant social connections, romantic life, and courageous approach to new endeavors. It offers a fascinating read about this unique American figure who succeeded in nearly all his ventures while constantly struggling with personal challenges. For any reader, the book is a worthwhile journey into the life of the man himself.
However, the book falls short in offering a deeper analysis of Shepard's dramatic output or what set it apart from his contemporaries. Although it asserts that his was a fresh voice, it focuses more on the public reception of his work than on actual critical analysis. Nevertheless, the book succeeds in its ultimate goal: prompting readers—especially theatre scholars—to revisit plays such as “Buried Child” or “True West” with a more informed perspective on the author's private life. For these scholars, this rereading serves as a perfect supplement to their existing knowledge.
Thank you to Scribner and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 12, 2026
This was a split decision. The book was well researched and introduced me to the deep bench of literary work by Shepard, and the basic outlines of his chronology, the bone structure of his personal life and psychological makeup, his intrinsic and painful contradictions which generated so much of this literary outpourings. As a theater guy, Dowling also gives a terrific picture of the avant-garde American Theater in the 1960s, probably the biggest contribution of the book. I'd heard the names "LaMama" and "Magic Theater" but never understood how theater groups like that fit into the development of theater in America, the importance of 'off-off Broadway,' and the difference between that and broadway productions. Why a playwright like Shepard was so successful in these spaces but actively disliked (and was disliked by) the more mainstream theater. You even get the impression of the kind of theater he wrote for--the more intimate and fluid the better.
What this was missing for me was two-fold. First, I never really felt the deeply personal side of the man, not a lack of description--plenty of that--but not the flavor of the man. This would have been better served by more quotes from his own work than of critics. Notably absent were first hand interviews with Shepard's first wife, O-lan, and his second, Jessica Lange, and all the many paramours mostly noted as a group, not to mention Patti Smith, with whom he wrote Cowboy Mouth, and Joni Mitchell, with whom he had a brief affair on the Dylan Rolling Thunder tour. Probably not from lack of trying, but the book did suffer from the lack. It's one thing to be told that he was always picking up women, but I'd sure like to know his opening lines. We get a repetition of themes in regard to his personal life, but it all seems at a certain remove, intellectual rather than emotionally resonant.
On the side of the plays, as someone who hasn't the familiarity with Shepard's work, it would have been very useful for the writer to have included summaries of the major work, especially what made each of them significant unto themselves, and direct quotes from the plays and stories which would be resonant with what made Shepard such an important playwright. It was like the writer was looking for other people to draw out the nuances he should have been drawing out. All the plays described sounded like the same play--two brothers, or a disaffected son with a monstrous father. More attention was given to the situation which inspired him to write this or that play, and the details of the first performances, rather than the substance of the plays themselves.
Yet, despite my wishing for more of each, it was a great introduction to a life and work, and fueling an interest to learn more.
What this was missing for me was two-fold. First, I never really felt the deeply personal side of the man, not a lack of description--plenty of that--but not the flavor of the man. This would have been better served by more quotes from his own work than of critics. Notably absent were first hand interviews with Shepard's first wife, O-lan, and his second, Jessica Lange, and all the many paramours mostly noted as a group, not to mention Patti Smith, with whom he wrote Cowboy Mouth, and Joni Mitchell, with whom he had a brief affair on the Dylan Rolling Thunder tour. Probably not from lack of trying, but the book did suffer from the lack. It's one thing to be told that he was always picking up women, but I'd sure like to know his opening lines. We get a repetition of themes in regard to his personal life, but it all seems at a certain remove, intellectual rather than emotionally resonant.
On the side of the plays, as someone who hasn't the familiarity with Shepard's work, it would have been very useful for the writer to have included summaries of the major work, especially what made each of them significant unto themselves, and direct quotes from the plays and stories which would be resonant with what made Shepard such an important playwright. It was like the writer was looking for other people to draw out the nuances he should have been drawing out. All the plays described sounded like the same play--two brothers, or a disaffected son with a monstrous father. More attention was given to the situation which inspired him to write this or that play, and the details of the first performances, rather than the substance of the plays themselves.
Yet, despite my wishing for more of each, it was a great introduction to a life and work, and fueling an interest to learn more.
November 8, 2025
Thank you Scribner for sending me a free advance copy!
COYOTE is a biography about the late actor and playwright Sam Shepard. He grew up in California and had a tumultuous relationship with his alcoholic father. After high school, Sam joined a repertory group and started writing plays. In 1979 he won the Pulitzer Prize for Buried Child. His writing career was garnering him attention but he also became known for his acting talent as well. He nabbed an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for The Right Stuff. He had a messy love life as he had an eye for the ladies and his drinking issues led to a DUI conviction. In 2017 he passed away from complications of ALS.
A complex man with strengths and flaws. Sam wasn’t into the Hollywood scene, instead preferring an open country lifestyle. The author goes into detail about Sam’s plays and other works. In some ways you could describe him as a private person but if you are paying attention he really opens up thru his writing. This biography does a great job in showing how Sam was far from perfect but he left his mark in this world.
COYOTE is a biography about the late actor and playwright Sam Shepard. He grew up in California and had a tumultuous relationship with his alcoholic father. After high school, Sam joined a repertory group and started writing plays. In 1979 he won the Pulitzer Prize for Buried Child. His writing career was garnering him attention but he also became known for his acting talent as well. He nabbed an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for The Right Stuff. He had a messy love life as he had an eye for the ladies and his drinking issues led to a DUI conviction. In 2017 he passed away from complications of ALS.
A complex man with strengths and flaws. Sam wasn’t into the Hollywood scene, instead preferring an open country lifestyle. The author goes into detail about Sam’s plays and other works. In some ways you could describe him as a private person but if you are paying attention he really opens up thru his writing. This biography does a great job in showing how Sam was far from perfect but he left his mark in this world.
December 4, 2025
superb job of linking the work to the life.
January 17, 2026
Great Biography
I knew Sam Shepherd from his movies mostly, I knew he was a playwright but never connected with his plays when I was younger. This biography brought forth an intriguing character I didn’t know much about. An excellent read.
I knew Sam Shepherd from his movies mostly, I knew he was a playwright but never connected with his plays when I was younger. This biography brought forth an intriguing character I didn’t know much about. An excellent read.
January 11, 2026
Sam Shepard lived life to the fullest but he carried a lot of emotional baggage and appears to have been terribly self-centered. This biography focuses too much on the details of his plays, and he wrote nearly 60. His personal life and acting career mostly gets glossed over.
October 21, 2025
Coyote--The Dramatic Lives of Sam Shepard is Robert M. Dowling's aptly titled biography that chronicles the many facets of Shepard's life.
Shepard, who died in 2017, was a playwright, actor, director, musician, and self-styled cowboy. He earned the Pulitzer Prize in 1979 for his play, Buried Child, which cemented his prominence in the theater world and opened doors for him as a screenwriter, actor, and director.
Dowling notes that at the time of Shepard's death, he had written more than 60 plays, six produced screenplays, and 10 books. His acting credits included more than 60 film and television roles. Ironically, the author notes that Shepard said he wasn't even trying. We should all be so lucky.
Dowling's book is neatly organized with a prologue and an introduction that are followed by three sections that detail Shepard's life from 1943 to 2017.
The prologue and introduction are instructive in understanding who Shepard was and the direction of his life and art. He grew up in a dysfunctional home with an abusive, alcoholic father. This relationship, though painful, provided him with lifelong inspiration. His plays, which are fueled by fear, guilt, alienation, and chaos, are the product of that relationship. He was always trying to come to terms with the hell of his father.
In addition to Shepard's family situation, Dowling also chronicles his romances. He was married to actress O-Lan Jones from 1969 to 1984 and had a long-term relationship with actress Jessica Lange. Even though they separated in 2009, she remained a part of his life until the end. He was also romantically linked with musicians Joni Mitchell and Patti Smith.
Readers of a certain age may enjoy the content about Shepard's film career the most. Though he often disparaged Hollywood, he was frequently cast in rugged and stoic roles. Days of Heaven, The Right Stuff, and Black Hawk Down bear this out. Whether a farmer, a test pilot, or a general, Shepard delivered an authentic masculine performance that is the film's foundation.
In 2014, Shepard contracted progressive muscular atrophy, a condition that causes the degeneration of neurons in the spinal cord. Despite difficulty with his arms and legs, Shepard remained a writer to the end, managing to complete two books before his death. One family member noted that the disease never dulled his drive or desire.
Ultimately, Dowling’s book offers an intimate look at Shepard’s art and his lifelong effort to make sense of the world and his father. Given his prolific output, I don’t know if he ever found peace, but Dowling shows us Shephard gave it his all. And for that, we’re all richer.
I received an advance reading copy from NetGalley.com.
Shepard, who died in 2017, was a playwright, actor, director, musician, and self-styled cowboy. He earned the Pulitzer Prize in 1979 for his play, Buried Child, which cemented his prominence in the theater world and opened doors for him as a screenwriter, actor, and director.
Dowling notes that at the time of Shepard's death, he had written more than 60 plays, six produced screenplays, and 10 books. His acting credits included more than 60 film and television roles. Ironically, the author notes that Shepard said he wasn't even trying. We should all be so lucky.
Dowling's book is neatly organized with a prologue and an introduction that are followed by three sections that detail Shepard's life from 1943 to 2017.
The prologue and introduction are instructive in understanding who Shepard was and the direction of his life and art. He grew up in a dysfunctional home with an abusive, alcoholic father. This relationship, though painful, provided him with lifelong inspiration. His plays, which are fueled by fear, guilt, alienation, and chaos, are the product of that relationship. He was always trying to come to terms with the hell of his father.
In addition to Shepard's family situation, Dowling also chronicles his romances. He was married to actress O-Lan Jones from 1969 to 1984 and had a long-term relationship with actress Jessica Lange. Even though they separated in 2009, she remained a part of his life until the end. He was also romantically linked with musicians Joni Mitchell and Patti Smith.
Readers of a certain age may enjoy the content about Shepard's film career the most. Though he often disparaged Hollywood, he was frequently cast in rugged and stoic roles. Days of Heaven, The Right Stuff, and Black Hawk Down bear this out. Whether a farmer, a test pilot, or a general, Shepard delivered an authentic masculine performance that is the film's foundation.
In 2014, Shepard contracted progressive muscular atrophy, a condition that causes the degeneration of neurons in the spinal cord. Despite difficulty with his arms and legs, Shepard remained a writer to the end, managing to complete two books before his death. One family member noted that the disease never dulled his drive or desire.
Ultimately, Dowling’s book offers an intimate look at Shepard’s art and his lifelong effort to make sense of the world and his father. Given his prolific output, I don’t know if he ever found peace, but Dowling shows us Shephard gave it his all. And for that, we’re all richer.
I received an advance reading copy from NetGalley.com.
November 3, 2025
4.5 stars,
Coyote is an extremely well researched tale of Shepard’s life, and what a life it was - I enjoyed Dowling’s writing style and was thankful for the opportunity to read this well written biography of the highly interesting Sam Shepard.
I also loved learning that U2’s *The Joshua Tree* (which has been one of my lifetime favorites since the late 80’s) was inspired by Shepard’s *Paris, Texas*, which also inspired much more (Wes Anderson and Sam Mendez, and went a long way to turn Texas into a cool destination.
Recommended.
Thank you to Scribner and NetGalley for the DRC
Coyote is an extremely well researched tale of Shepard’s life, and what a life it was - I enjoyed Dowling’s writing style and was thankful for the opportunity to read this well written biography of the highly interesting Sam Shepard.
I also loved learning that U2’s *The Joshua Tree* (which has been one of my lifetime favorites since the late 80’s) was inspired by Shepard’s *Paris, Texas*, which also inspired much more (Wes Anderson and Sam Mendez, and went a long way to turn Texas into a cool destination.
Recommended.
Thank you to Scribner and NetGalley for the DRC
February 24, 2026
I have no familiarity with Shepard’s plays, and found this incredibly compelling. It’s an incredible portrait of the artistic circles in which Shepard circulated as a young playwright in New York, of Shepard’s complicated relationship with Hollywood, and his larger legacy.
That said, doesn't seem like the kind of guy I would want to know personally in real life.
I always find it a sign of a well-done biography when after finishing, I'm really curious to seek out the subject’s work--and that was very much the case here. Before sitting down to write this, I first put four of Shepard’s plays on hold at the library.
That said, doesn't seem like the kind of guy I would want to know personally in real life.
I always find it a sign of a well-done biography when after finishing, I'm really curious to seek out the subject’s work--and that was very much the case here. Before sitting down to write this, I first put four of Shepard’s plays on hold at the library.
February 7, 2026
Heard the audio book. Several of the place names were mispronounced. It felt as if the author didn't really know the West, but that probably wasn't true.
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