Horseman, Pass By

This article is about the 1961 McMurtry novel. For the 1954 novel, see Dennis Parry. For the 2005 French book, see Horseman, Pass By! For the poem by W. B. Yeats whose last line is "Horseman, pass by!" (inspiring the novels' titles), see Under Ben Bulben.
Horseman, Pass By
First edition
AuthorLarry McMurtry
LanguageEnglish
GenreModern western
PublisherHarper
Publication date
1961
Publication placeUnited States
Media typePrint (hardback and paperback)

Horseman, Pass By is a 1961 Western novel by American writer Larry McMurtry. McMurtry's debut novel, it portrays life on a cattle ranch from the perspective of young narrator Lonnie Bannon.[1] Set in Texas in 1954, the Bannon ranch is owned by Lonnie's grandfather, Homer Bannon. Homer's ruthless stepson, Hud, stands as the primary antagonist of the novel. The novel was adapted into the screenplay for the 1963 film Hud, starring Paul Newman as the title character.

The title of the novel derives from the last three lines of the poem "Under Ben Bulben" by William Butler Yeats, which are carved on Yeats’ tombstone:

Cast a cold eye

On life, on death.

Horseman, pass by.

  1. ^ McMurtry, Larry (2008). Books : a memoir (1st Simon & Schuster hardcover ed.). New York: Simon & Schuster. p. 59. ISBN 9781416583349.