Cities of the Plain

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In the final volume of The Border Trilogy, two men, shaped by their boyhood adventures, confront a transformed country in the fall of 1952. John Grady Cole and Billy Parham, cowboys on a New Mexico ranch, face the encroachment of the military from the north while the mountains of Mexico loom to the south. Despite their nine-year age difference, a deep kinship binds them as they navigate a ranch life increasingly marred by loss affecting both young and old. Their connection is further complicated by a girl caught in misfortune, whose presence draws one of them across the border repeatedly, intertwining their lives with love that is both perilous and inevitable. The narrative is rich with character and setting, featuring a blind musician, a pack of marauding dogs, curio shops, and ancient petroglyphs. It recalls trail drives of the past and captures moments like midnight on the highway. The story explores the persistence of men and the women they love and mourn, illuminating their memories and dreams. With its profound prose, humor, and unwavering humanity, this work completes a significant chapter in literature, bridging the old west with the new millennium and reflecting on the enduring human experience.