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Pretty Boy Floyd
Charlie Floyd gains celebrity status as a prolific armed bank robber. He is so charming and irresissble, that you can't help liking him. The only people that are'nt charmed by him are the federal agents tracking him down...
448 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
55 people are currently reading
771 people want to read
About the author
Larry McMurtry
150 books4,039 followersLarry Jeff McMurtry was an American novelist, essayist, and screenwriter whose work was predominantly set in either the Old West or contemporary Texas. His novels included Horseman, Pass By (1962), The Last Picture Show (1966), and Terms of Endearment (1975), which were adapted into films. Films adapted from McMurtry's works earned 34 Oscar nominations (13 wins). He was also a prominent book collector and bookseller.
His 1985 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Lonesome Dove was adapted into a television miniseries that earned 18 Emmy Award nominations (seven wins). The subsequent three novels in his Lonesome Dove series were adapted as three more miniseries, earning eight more Emmy nominations. McMurtry and co-writer Diana Ossana adapted the screenplay for Brokeback Mountain (2005), which earned eight Academy Award nominations with three wins, including McMurtry and Ossana for Best Adapted Screenplay. In 2014, McMurtry received the National Humanities Medal.
In Tracy Daugherty's 2023 biography of McMurtry, the biographer quotes critic Dave Hickey as saying about McMurtry: "Larry is a writer, and it's kind of like being a critter. If you leave a cow alone, he'll eat grass. If you leave Larry alone, he'll write books. When he's in public, he may say hello and goodbye, but otherwise he is just resting, getting ready to go write."
His 1985 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Lonesome Dove was adapted into a television miniseries that earned 18 Emmy Award nominations (seven wins). The subsequent three novels in his Lonesome Dove series were adapted as three more miniseries, earning eight more Emmy nominations. McMurtry and co-writer Diana Ossana adapted the screenplay for Brokeback Mountain (2005), which earned eight Academy Award nominations with three wins, including McMurtry and Ossana for Best Adapted Screenplay. In 2014, McMurtry received the National Humanities Medal.
In Tracy Daugherty's 2023 biography of McMurtry, the biographer quotes critic Dave Hickey as saying about McMurtry: "Larry is a writer, and it's kind of like being a critter. If you leave a cow alone, he'll eat grass. If you leave Larry alone, he'll write books. When he's in public, he may say hello and goodbye, but otherwise he is just resting, getting ready to go write."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
February 13, 2020
Lonesome Dove is my favorite book of all time so naturally I favor McMurtry’s novels Even though Pretty Boy Floyd doesn’t match up to Lonesome Dove it’s still a dynamite read. The writing craft is superior, and the voice of the characters carry the story. The setting and attention to the time period has the same weight as a main character. The dialogue is over tagged and is a little distracting. My favorite genre is historical novels, and this is a great one. But again, I might be slightly biased. Had this writing team written any other novels I would’ve been first in line to buy one. If you are into this kind of book I highly recommend it.
David Putnam Author of the Bruno Johnson series.
David Putnam Author of the Bruno Johnson series.
September 20, 2020
Charles 'Pretty Boy' Floyd. Charlie never liked the moniker, but it was given to him by the ladies because of his good looks and stuck till the day he died.
This was a historical fiction version of the life of Charles Floyd, but whether fiction, or not, it was an accurate telling. Larry McMurtry, author of the great novel, 'Lonesome Dove' did a great job of staying true to the actions and life of Floyd, while adding a personal touch that revealed the real man behind the outlaw. As it had been said of him by people who knew him, including one of the sheriffs he held hostage as he made a getaway, Charlie was a good man who did bad things.
If you saw the movie 'Public Enemies' you might remember that the movie opened with a G-man, Melvin Pervis, shooting down Pretty Boy Floyd in an orchard. Though the movie and the book were both great, this version was not correct. John Dillinger, as well as Bonnie and Clyde, were killed before Charles Floyd. It was because of that fact that by the time Floyd was hunted down, he rose to number one on the most wanted list.
Floyds is an American story of a good man who grew up poor in the Great Depression era, and ended up taking a wrong turn down a road with a dead end. I called him a 'good man' and I'm sure that is debatable. Yes, he did kill a few people and he was a bank robber. He chose his path and once he got started, paying for the consequences was inevitable. Was he a victim of circumstances? I couldn't make that judgement. I wasn't there. But from all that was said about him following his death. He certainly did sound just like a good man who did bad things.
On a side note: This was a paperback I bought off of Amazon. It hadn't been noted in the sellers description, but when I got it, I discovered it has Larry McMurtrys signature in it. I'll certainly be holding on to this paperback!
This was a historical fiction version of the life of Charles Floyd, but whether fiction, or not, it was an accurate telling. Larry McMurtry, author of the great novel, 'Lonesome Dove' did a great job of staying true to the actions and life of Floyd, while adding a personal touch that revealed the real man behind the outlaw. As it had been said of him by people who knew him, including one of the sheriffs he held hostage as he made a getaway, Charlie was a good man who did bad things.
If you saw the movie 'Public Enemies' you might remember that the movie opened with a G-man, Melvin Pervis, shooting down Pretty Boy Floyd in an orchard. Though the movie and the book were both great, this version was not correct. John Dillinger, as well as Bonnie and Clyde, were killed before Charles Floyd. It was because of that fact that by the time Floyd was hunted down, he rose to number one on the most wanted list.
Floyds is an American story of a good man who grew up poor in the Great Depression era, and ended up taking a wrong turn down a road with a dead end. I called him a 'good man' and I'm sure that is debatable. Yes, he did kill a few people and he was a bank robber. He chose his path and once he got started, paying for the consequences was inevitable. Was he a victim of circumstances? I couldn't make that judgement. I wasn't there. But from all that was said about him following his death. He certainly did sound just like a good man who did bad things.
On a side note: This was a paperback I bought off of Amazon. It hadn't been noted in the sellers description, but when I got it, I discovered it has Larry McMurtrys signature in it. I'll certainly be holding on to this paperback!
June 4, 2013
It was an interesting look into the life of Pretty Boy Floyd. While based on historical events (many were verified), it adds a different perspective into the life and events of the time. Even though some of the crimes were brutal, at times, I found myself almost feeling sorry for him while learning about another part of history.
February 9, 2017
I was looking for an easy read to keep me occupied on a plane trip and found a thoroughly entertaining tale in this story of the Depression Era bank robber Charles Arthur Floyd.
While some of his many bank capers are described, this historical novel takes a different perspective, which is describing Pretty Boy’s domestic life. As we often learn with famous, or infamous, characters, the women in his life, Mother, Wife, girlfriends, don’t really hold him in as high esteem as the media does.
Charley has to deal with demanding mates, raising the child, bickering family, disappointed parents much like anyone does plus the burden of the interesting career choice of robbing banks in a time when there’s a new aspect to getting away with crime, The FBI.
Larry McMurtry wrote the outline for this book and co-author Ossana filled in the blanks, so while this is not ‘Horseman Pass By’ it’s a fun and quick read.
While some of his many bank capers are described, this historical novel takes a different perspective, which is describing Pretty Boy’s domestic life. As we often learn with famous, or infamous, characters, the women in his life, Mother, Wife, girlfriends, don’t really hold him in as high esteem as the media does.
Charley has to deal with demanding mates, raising the child, bickering family, disappointed parents much like anyone does plus the burden of the interesting career choice of robbing banks in a time when there’s a new aspect to getting away with crime, The FBI.
Larry McMurtry wrote the outline for this book and co-author Ossana filled in the blanks, so while this is not ‘Horseman Pass By’ it’s a fun and quick read.
January 20, 2020
This is a historical fiction novel based on the life of Charles Floyd who was better known as Pretty Boy Floyd. It is an engaging and fairly fast read. The authors did a very good job of character development and bringing to life the culture of the time. I recommend this book for anyone looking for an interesting ficitional read based on true events.
I have also posted my review on Goodreads, Amazon and my review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook page.
I have also posted my review on Goodreads, Amazon and my review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook page.
June 29, 2010
If you start reading this book looking for an actual history you will be sorely disappointed. Apart from the long, boring sequences of emotional dialogue of bleeding heart women, I question whether there is a drop of historical accuracy in the whole thing, except that there was an outlaw of that name during the depression.
April 20, 2013
Something a little shy of a 4 really, but definitely better than a 3. The experience of reading it was a bit like watching Bonnie and Clyde, that same mix of comedy, crime, inevitable tragedy/demise, and all happening in a similar time and place. I like McMurtry and Ossana's unpretentious character and plot driven style.
June 9, 2013
From the time we meet him in 1925, legendary folk hero Pretty Boy Floyd is a man so charming you have to like him, even if you’re a bank president. Well, that might be a stretch, but I can predict confidently: readers will like Charley. Readers will smile, and enjoy this novel.
Between these pages, when Charley Floyd smiled, he even made bank tellers handing him money smile and believe it would all be okay. He smiled until somebody pulled a trigger. Charley didn’t like people getting killed and he didn’t like coming close to being killed himself. There were shootings and killings, but the only time Charley shot was in self defense. Why would the Bureau of Investigation want to make him Public Enemy Number One, and put him in the ground? They were playing to an audience of yellow journalists and newsreel producers to sell newspapers and movie tickets, feeding an endless stream of vicarious thrills to Mr. and Mrs. John Q. Public. They were changing from the Bureau of Investigation, building and refining their identity to become the FBI in bold block print. Hoover was courting Congress to arm his men with the weapons the bad guys wielded, the Thompson Submachine Gun, and molding beat cops into comic book superhero scientist-detectives straight out of the radio melodramas. He was making and selling G-men, and branding them as heroes, and role models for America's youth.
Charley Floyd didn’t live long, but he lived big. He was a dust bowl Robin Hood from Oklahoma, and the plain-folk rooted for him, and lived his exploits with him vicariously as he robbed banks for a living, and made it almost respectable. Running to support a devoted wife and child—as well as the fast women who loved him—he had to live fast. To stay alive, he had to outwit the growing sophistication of G-men determined bring him in, dead if possible, alive if necessary. As a dead man, Charley Floyd would go a long way to prove the power and reach of J. Edgar Hoover, and the value of the Federal crime fighting organization beneath him.
In Pretty Boy Floyd, blood spills in tough times rich in comedy and tragedy as a quickening world churns its grist, hurrying to reach the brink. Even dodging bullets and choking in a dust-covered getaway car, it is an eloquent novel, a minor masterpiece embodying our loss of innocence and the unexpected birth of the American psyche, just as we steeled ourselves to leap onto the world’s stage in the starring mid-twentieth century role. Historical accuracy may not be this novel’s strong suit, but I wanted to read a novel, not a history lesson, and in Pretty Boy Floyd, I found something even better, a good novel.
THIS REVIEW IS EXCERPTED FROM A LONGER ESSAY (INSPIRED BY THE NOVEL, WRITING TEAMS, J. EDGAR HOOVER, AND TWENTIETH-CENTURY AMERICA) BETTER SUITED TO ANOTHER VENUE. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO READ MORE, PLEASE ASK. I WILL BE HAPPY TO SHARE. —Mitch
Between these pages, when Charley Floyd smiled, he even made bank tellers handing him money smile and believe it would all be okay. He smiled until somebody pulled a trigger. Charley didn’t like people getting killed and he didn’t like coming close to being killed himself. There were shootings and killings, but the only time Charley shot was in self defense. Why would the Bureau of Investigation want to make him Public Enemy Number One, and put him in the ground? They were playing to an audience of yellow journalists and newsreel producers to sell newspapers and movie tickets, feeding an endless stream of vicarious thrills to Mr. and Mrs. John Q. Public. They were changing from the Bureau of Investigation, building and refining their identity to become the FBI in bold block print. Hoover was courting Congress to arm his men with the weapons the bad guys wielded, the Thompson Submachine Gun, and molding beat cops into comic book superhero scientist-detectives straight out of the radio melodramas. He was making and selling G-men, and branding them as heroes, and role models for America's youth.
Charley Floyd didn’t live long, but he lived big. He was a dust bowl Robin Hood from Oklahoma, and the plain-folk rooted for him, and lived his exploits with him vicariously as he robbed banks for a living, and made it almost respectable. Running to support a devoted wife and child—as well as the fast women who loved him—he had to live fast. To stay alive, he had to outwit the growing sophistication of G-men determined bring him in, dead if possible, alive if necessary. As a dead man, Charley Floyd would go a long way to prove the power and reach of J. Edgar Hoover, and the value of the Federal crime fighting organization beneath him.
In Pretty Boy Floyd, blood spills in tough times rich in comedy and tragedy as a quickening world churns its grist, hurrying to reach the brink. Even dodging bullets and choking in a dust-covered getaway car, it is an eloquent novel, a minor masterpiece embodying our loss of innocence and the unexpected birth of the American psyche, just as we steeled ourselves to leap onto the world’s stage in the starring mid-twentieth century role. Historical accuracy may not be this novel’s strong suit, but I wanted to read a novel, not a history lesson, and in Pretty Boy Floyd, I found something even better, a good novel.
THIS REVIEW IS EXCERPTED FROM A LONGER ESSAY (INSPIRED BY THE NOVEL, WRITING TEAMS, J. EDGAR HOOVER, AND TWENTIETH-CENTURY AMERICA) BETTER SUITED TO ANOTHER VENUE. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO READ MORE, PLEASE ASK. I WILL BE HAPPY TO SHARE. —Mitch
February 11, 2020
An interesting literary tale that takes a notorious gangster of the 20s and 30s and brings him to live in the capable hands of two authors.
I don't know much about Charles Arthur Floyd other than he robbed banks. And that he did but unlike other gangsters of that era, he was known for his politeness. This story, while fictional, probably hits the highlights of what everyone thinks is a romantic life of robbing and living large. For most, its a scramble to stay alive and hold it all together. Did Floyd do it better than others? No.
A good, easy read. Nothing particularly insightful but an interesting story.
I don't know much about Charles Arthur Floyd other than he robbed banks. And that he did but unlike other gangsters of that era, he was known for his politeness. This story, while fictional, probably hits the highlights of what everyone thinks is a romantic life of robbing and living large. For most, its a scramble to stay alive and hold it all together. Did Floyd do it better than others? No.
A good, easy read. Nothing particularly insightful but an interesting story.
May 23, 2021
An historical fiction of the life of Pretty Boy Floyd. I was especially interested in this because my Dad and Grandad met Pretty Boy Floyd. He bought groceries from my grandfathers grocery/restaurant in Monument, New Mexico. So he did get at least that far west. Supposedly, he was a perfect gentleman when he bought the vittles. Story is exciting and tries to stick to known facts, but a lot of the interpersonal stuff had to be invented. Recommended.
April 5, 2011
Almost always enjoy anything Larry McMurtry writes. Plus being from the part of Ohio that Pretty Boy died in makes this more fun for me. I have seen Pretty Boy Floyd's death mask. I know he takes liberties with his writitings, this is fiction based on fact like many of his novels but that makes them all the more enjoyable.
April 19, 2012
If you’re looking for a tragic-comic account of a poor boy turned outlaw, this is an amusing and satisfactory version. If you’re seeking a more historically accurate account, you’d best look elsewhere.
The book offers McMurtry’s usual blend of humor and quirky characters and a folkloric depiction of the life and times of Pretty Boy Floyd. Unfortunately McMurtry and his partner Diana Ossana wrote it first as a screenplay and it’s conversion to a novel resulted in several flaws—the biggest being a lack of character development. Floyd and his associates often come off as little more than caricatures.
A few minor quibbles a country boy like McMurtry should have avoided: There’s virtually no recoil in firing a .410, yet Dempsey Floyd experiences it several times as his father gives him a shooting lesson. Acorns have a high concentration of tannic acid and can be toxic to humans, though the novel has Floyd eating them. Floyd wades the Little Beaver river, up to his armpits; even in Ohio in October that sounds like an invitation for hypothermia and not a good idea for a man on the run dressed in street clothes.
Still this is fiction and I mostly enjoyed the read. The narrative flows well and kept me turning page.
The book offers McMurtry’s usual blend of humor and quirky characters and a folkloric depiction of the life and times of Pretty Boy Floyd. Unfortunately McMurtry and his partner Diana Ossana wrote it first as a screenplay and it’s conversion to a novel resulted in several flaws—the biggest being a lack of character development. Floyd and his associates often come off as little more than caricatures.
A few minor quibbles a country boy like McMurtry should have avoided: There’s virtually no recoil in firing a .410, yet Dempsey Floyd experiences it several times as his father gives him a shooting lesson. Acorns have a high concentration of tannic acid and can be toxic to humans, though the novel has Floyd eating them. Floyd wades the Little Beaver river, up to his armpits; even in Ohio in October that sounds like an invitation for hypothermia and not a good idea for a man on the run dressed in street clothes.
Still this is fiction and I mostly enjoyed the read. The narrative flows well and kept me turning page.
July 8, 2009
This book exceeded my expectations. It was a very enjoyable historically accurate but fictional narrative of the life, exploits, and times of the outlaw Charles A Floyd. The character development of Floyd, his family, friends, acquaintenances, and adversaries was excellent. The book never seemed to drag, but still had a leisurely pace to it. I highly recommend to anyone who is looking for a good book to pass the time.
November 16, 2010
I very much enjoyed this story of Pretty Boy Floyd. I didn't know anything about him and wanted to see how much was truth. I was delighted to see that it was based on facts and some circumstances filled in. It's a quick easy read and makes you feel sorry for Floyd. I love McMurtry as a writer but I didn't feel this was one of his best writing wise but the story itself keeps you turning the pages.
March 5, 2010
I enjoyed this book, clearly not one of Mcmurtry's best, but I think he wrote it more for fun and that's how I take it. Floyd isn't my favorite bank robber, but I like him real fine. This story fills in (read: makes up) some of the unknown stuff that happened between the headlines. Probably will read again next decade.
April 21, 2013
This book was really quick-paced and interesting at first and I read about 2/3rds of it in a day. But then, something happened...maybe having two authors finally wore on the narrative. It took me another weeksjust to finish the last third of the book. 3 1/2 stars for the first 2/3rds and 2 stars for the last third. As for the Epilogue? 1/2 star.
February 11, 2020
Excellent. The authors should be applauded for creating a fascinating blend of fiction and fact. The characters' dialog is superb and a delight to read. The humor is high quality, fits into the otherwise serious biographical events without detracting (quite the contrary!), and has an aura of spontaneity mixed with down-home wisdom.
The handful of people intersecting Floyd's life are wonderfully drawn causing this reader to visit the internet time and time again to try to find pictures and additional information about them.
My previously limited concept of the life and times of Charley Floyd is enhanced and changed forever.
I would bump up my rating to 4.5 if it were possible.
January 27, 2020
If you don't know the story of Charles Arthur "Pretty Boy" Floyd, there are plenty of quick descriptions on the web. Before picking up this book, I had already read Bryan Burrough's nonfiction "Public Enemies," which provided a comprehensive view of gangsters (and J. Edgar Hoover's tall tales) during the depression, so I was looking forward to a solid account of Floyd's exploits, against a detailed background of the late 1920/early 1930's, with some dialog thrown in.
What I got was completely unremarkable. Although the depression and subsequent years prompted so-called gangster activity (and just happened to completely change the face of America), the story offered a limited backdrop. We got plenty of encounters with women, and some descriptions of poverty-stricken wives, depictions of one or two of his confirmed robberies, and a kidnapping - but the narrative lacked the stage set and the detail.
According to the Collaborators' Note, "Pretty Boy Floyd" started out as a screenplay written for Warner Brothers by Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana. Apparently during the writing process, they decided they wanted to do more, so it was fleshed out into a book, with McMurtry writing some five pages a day, and Ossana augmenting those five into ten pages.
I'm not sure if the book suffered or benefited from the collaboration process, but I can't say I found this one to be a keeper. Although interesting to read, it was hardly fascinating - more like mildly diverting. I am grateful the novelization was largely accurate from an historical perspective, which doesn't always happen. It helped me pass some time on an airplane, but that was time that could have been better spent on other books.
What I got was completely unremarkable. Although the depression and subsequent years prompted so-called gangster activity (and just happened to completely change the face of America), the story offered a limited backdrop. We got plenty of encounters with women, and some descriptions of poverty-stricken wives, depictions of one or two of his confirmed robberies, and a kidnapping - but the narrative lacked the stage set and the detail.
According to the Collaborators' Note, "Pretty Boy Floyd" started out as a screenplay written for Warner Brothers by Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana. Apparently during the writing process, they decided they wanted to do more, so it was fleshed out into a book, with McMurtry writing some five pages a day, and Ossana augmenting those five into ten pages.
I'm not sure if the book suffered or benefited from the collaboration process, but I can't say I found this one to be a keeper. Although interesting to read, it was hardly fascinating - more like mildly diverting. I am grateful the novelization was largely accurate from an historical perspective, which doesn't always happen. It helped me pass some time on an airplane, but that was time that could have been better spent on other books.
February 6, 2023
A so/so retelling of the adventures of the famous bank robber, this is my last McMurtry novel before starting the Lonesome Dove series. It’s nothing special, and not nearly as good as his other novel with Ossana (Zeke & Ned, which was a pleasant surprise). While, as a big fan of crime fiction, I was curious to see one of my favorite writers tackle the genre, maybe that worked against my actual experience by making me hope for something more interesting than what I got. There isn’t much depth to the story, and while some emotional resonance comes from Floyd’s relationship with his son, this is only a small part of the book. This isn’t one you need to go out of your way to read unless, like me, you’re reading all of McMurtry’s novels.
August 19, 2021
I suspect that much of this story is complete invention, especially the bank robberies that take a humorous turn. Overall, I found this book to be a bit of a chore to get through and I am not sure why i didn't put it aside. I didn't find any of the characters engaging, especially the main character who is a bank robber, a murderer and a philanderer.
December 1, 2013
"If you'll gather round me, children,
A story I will tell,
About Pretty Boy Floyd, the outlaw,
Oklahoma knew him well…."
~Woody Guthrey~
"The Ballad of Pretty Boy Floyd"
Every so often, I get a craving for a good old fashioned, shoot 'em up, gangster story. So what could be a better choice than a historical fiction based on the life and times of Charles Arthur (Pretty Boy) Floyd.
The story starts out in St. Louis, Missouri. The year is 1925. Charley Floyd is a young and handsome man; ergo the nickname: Pretty Boy Floyd. Charley has left his wife and son in Sallisaw, Oklahoma to search for a better paying job. He joins up with Billy Miller, a local crook. The two of them set out to rob Kroger Bakery’s armored truck. And so Charley’s life of crime begins…
Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana do a superb job of recreating this era. Their descriptions of the clothes, cars, trains, etc., immediately set my imagination into action. I found myself living and sharing Charley's 1920's world of crime and criminals.
McMurtry describes Charley and his band crooks as likable and endearing characters. I had to constantly keep reminding myself that, in reality, they are all really bad people with no regard for the law. Putting all that seriousness aside, Pretty Boy Floyd< is a fast paced, fun novel! And as an extra added bonus McMurtry throws in a cowboy or two. I'm happy to say that my gangster novel craving has been totally sated. I'm going to give Pretty Boy Floyd four stars.
Fun Fact: Flivver is a small cheap, usually old, automobile. Thank you Larry, you taught me a new word. (Charley often drove a Flivver.)
A story I will tell,
About Pretty Boy Floyd, the outlaw,
Oklahoma knew him well…."
~Woody Guthrey~
"The Ballad of Pretty Boy Floyd"
Every so often, I get a craving for a good old fashioned, shoot 'em up, gangster story. So what could be a better choice than a historical fiction based on the life and times of Charles Arthur (Pretty Boy) Floyd.
The story starts out in St. Louis, Missouri. The year is 1925. Charley Floyd is a young and handsome man; ergo the nickname: Pretty Boy Floyd. Charley has left his wife and son in Sallisaw, Oklahoma to search for a better paying job. He joins up with Billy Miller, a local crook. The two of them set out to rob Kroger Bakery’s armored truck. And so Charley’s life of crime begins…
Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana do a superb job of recreating this era. Their descriptions of the clothes, cars, trains, etc., immediately set my imagination into action. I found myself living and sharing Charley's 1920's world of crime and criminals.
McMurtry describes Charley and his band crooks as likable and endearing characters. I had to constantly keep reminding myself that, in reality, they are all really bad people with no regard for the law. Putting all that seriousness aside, Pretty Boy Floyd< is a fast paced, fun novel! And as an extra added bonus McMurtry throws in a cowboy or two. I'm happy to say that my gangster novel craving has been totally sated. I'm going to give Pretty Boy Floyd four stars.
Fun Fact: Flivver is a small cheap, usually old, automobile. Thank you Larry, you taught me a new word. (Charley often drove a Flivver.)
February 8, 2013
I finished up Pretty Boy Floyd by Larry McMurtry & Diana Ossana last night. Ossana and McMurtry are really good at compiling this mix of fact, hearsay and myth into a real page turner.
My dad’s people are from Missouri and my wife’s family were from Oklahoma so I’d heard all the fond stories of Charley Floyd, just a poor Okie kid who never made it West and ended up robbing banks and killing cops. My Grandpa held him in higher esteem than FDR.
The story traces the lives of Pretty Boy, his family and his accomplices from 1925 through his death in 1934. The characters are honestly and quickly drawn as they slog their way through some very tough times.
Indeed the Great Depression itself is an invisible character throughout the book. It constantly shows up in places like Wizbang Red’s hospital room, Mamie Floyd’s kitchen and Bob Birdwell’s bleak farmhouse.
As things wind down, the sense of foreboding is palpable, everybody knows they’re going to Hell and soon. Or maybe that’s just the way I read it going through these hard times. When it comes to American legends, it’s all to easy to project upon them our ideals, prejudices and fears.
My dad’s people are from Missouri and my wife’s family were from Oklahoma so I’d heard all the fond stories of Charley Floyd, just a poor Okie kid who never made it West and ended up robbing banks and killing cops. My Grandpa held him in higher esteem than FDR.
The story traces the lives of Pretty Boy, his family and his accomplices from 1925 through his death in 1934. The characters are honestly and quickly drawn as they slog their way through some very tough times.
Indeed the Great Depression itself is an invisible character throughout the book. It constantly shows up in places like Wizbang Red’s hospital room, Mamie Floyd’s kitchen and Bob Birdwell’s bleak farmhouse.
As things wind down, the sense of foreboding is palpable, everybody knows they’re going to Hell and soon. Or maybe that’s just the way I read it going through these hard times. When it comes to American legends, it’s all to easy to project upon them our ideals, prejudices and fears.
August 12, 2016
This book was a gift from a friend and had been on my shelf for a long while. I'm delighted that I took it down. It tells the fictional, imagined story of Charles Arthur "Charley" Floyd from a small-town Oklahoma farm. As Charley sought a better life than hard-scrabble depression-era farming, he became a bandit and bank robber. His good looks, good manners, and good-heart left favorable impressions with everyone he encountered, even as he fabricated facts that always put a positive spin into whatever his current situation might be. In this story, he bumbles his way into circumstances that earn him the notorious moniker Pretty Boy Floyd, a name built by headlines. Eventually J. Edgar Hoover, in his desire to enhance his own stature, machinates Floyd's reputation by publicly attributing to him practically every robbery & crime committed in the country. McMurtry is excellent at portraying mid-westerner characters with humanity, not as caricatures. Here, he brings to life the depression's meager countryside and gives Floyd, his family, wife, son, girlfriends, mentors, various partners and small-town sheriffs, and others real personalities in this imagined biography.
November 8, 2013
Charles "Pretty Boy" Floyd was one of those larger than life criminals that became a folk hero during the depression. His story is part history and part lore. Larry McMurtry's handling of the tale has an epic movie quality about it which makes sense since he was once hired to create a screen play for the character. This is a rollicking good time full of dialectic dialog well crafted characterizations and relationships. It's an interesting,albeit fictional, insight into the psyche of Floyd and the women who loved him.
August 21, 2016
I am a big fan of McMurtry but this is the first non-western of his that I have read. He is a master at writing dialog and capturing the spirits of his characters. I was, however, nagged by the feeling I had already read this book. I checked my library and found The Hot Kid written by Elmore Leonard (another favorite author). Paging through it I saw several similarities particularly in the style of capturing dialog from that period of time. Floyd is also a character in The Hot Kid although not the protagonist. Not sure which one I enjoyed most but can recommend both.
September 9, 2010
Strangers influenced the first bad choices made by Charles Arthur Floyd--nicknamed "Pretty Boy" by one of the very people who influenced his bad choices--, then he seems to have found what I call "fools' friends" and could not give up the situations he created for himself, not even for the sake of his family. He led a sad, lonely life that had a sad, tragic ending. Public admiration for Pretty Boy's lifestyle most likely reflects society's feelings toward banks during those depression days.
August 6, 2011
A great romp through 1920's/30's middle America. McMurtry does nothing to glamorize the life of Floyd and his friends or their lives. These are desperate people, killers and thieves despite what they say. There is also a decided lack of glamor in their lives. More flophouses than penthouses. This book also makes it difficult to feel sorry for Floyd, even when you're cheering for him to get away. A really well researched and fun read. If you like stories of cops and robbers this is for you.
August 20, 2012
This book was just cool. I made me want to be a gangster during that time period. It's written okay, the characters are okay, but It's the true character of Floyd that makes this book. If it would have been a fictional character, no way it would've stood out. If you like the Bonnie and Clyde's and John Dillinger you should read this. Pretty Boy Floyd probably one of the lesser know big name gangsters along with Machine Gun Kelly. He's got a cool name tho ;)
May 9, 2016
I would read anything by Larry McMurtry, but I've always had an interest in the Depression-era gangsters. It was a treat for McMurtry to apply his craft to a figure that less has been written about than Dillinger and Bonnie and Clyde. For McMurtry fans, I don't think he ever mentioned Thalia in this book, which I've seen in every book of his I've read. After you read Lonesome Dove and Last Picture Show, this one's definitely worth a read.
February 28, 2020
Many small towns and comuniteis in my area have a lot of history. When I see an old shell of a building on Main Street USA I don't always think of what was going on when it was new. Some of the small towns that have dried up used to be big towns at one time. This book reminded me that there was a lot going on in rural America a hundred years ago.
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