Midnight Cowboy - 1965

In this raw and haunting novel, James Leo Herlihy crafts an unforgettable portrait of American alienation through the unlikely friendship of two desperate outcasts in the unforgiving landscape of late 1960s New York City. "Midnight Cowboy" follows Joe Buck, a naive Texas dishwasher who arrives in Manhattan with dreams of becoming a high-paid male prostitute catering to wealthy women, only to find his romantic delusions shattered by the harsh realities of urban isolation. When Joe's path crosses with that of Enrico "Ratso" Rizzo—a tubercular, street-smart hustler living in squalor—the two form a fragile bond of necessity that gradually evolves into something resembling genuine connection. With unflinching prose and psychological depth, Herlihy examines their tenuous relationship against the backdrop of a callous city indifferent to their struggle for dignity and survival. Neither sentimental nor exploitative, this powerful exploration of loneliness, masculinity, and human need resonates with heartbreaking authenticity. - Midnight Cowboy - James Leo Herlihy Published 1965, Simon and Schuster, Inc. New York Hardcover. Approx. 6x8.5in. 253pp. Top of dustjacket spine worn down (see photo). Book itself is in good shape.