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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
Admittedly, not my usual book. But, I was at home sick, had a copy and it came highly recommended. The book is a series of vignettes about the life and culture of Texas. The author is an excellent writer and his love of the state comes across in his portrayal of the strange and wonderful things about Texas. He does a great job of pulling apart stories, showing the impact of personality and calling out the madness that is part of life in the lone star state.
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
I expected more from this book. It offers good insights as to why Texas is what it is now, and why.
The chapters about Dallas and Austin were really interesting, especially seeing what Austin has recently turned into. On page 243 Wright writes: "Austin has become one of the most economically segregated cities in the country", and this can't be more true as of today! The chapter 'Borderlands' could have been expanded, I couldn't believe that hundreds of pages about Texas politics have taken more space than border matters. I had to skip the majority of the pages about politicians because it was so repetitive and soooo boring. We get it, there are some crazy-to-evil people out there governing Texas, but we don't have to know about each and every bill that passed or didn't.
Overall, it would be nice to see what the author thinks of what Texas has become in the most recent years, especially after the pandemic and the most recent Californication efforts.
The chapters about Dallas and Austin were really interesting, especially seeing what Austin has recently turned into. On page 243 Wright writes: "Austin has become one of the most economically segregated cities in the country", and this can't be more true as of today! The chapter 'Borderlands' could have been expanded, I couldn't believe that hundreds of pages about Texas politics have taken more space than border matters. I had to skip the majority of the pages about politicians because it was so repetitive and soooo boring. We get it, there are some crazy-to-evil people out there governing Texas, but we don't have to know about each and every bill that passed or didn't.
Overall, it would be nice to see what the author thinks of what Texas has become in the most recent years, especially after the pandemic and the most recent Californication efforts.
I read this for a book club and have to say that I was disappointed. I am a 6th generation, born & raised Native Texan & the title makes me think that it would be about how Texas came about, the kind of people that settled here to make it what it is and the wonders that our state holds.
While there is a tiny bit of those things, there is an enormous amount of politics and while, yes, that is important, I didn't think that would be 2/3 of the book. There were 14 of us for this book club meeting and 6 of us are Native Texans and none of us really enjoyed this. The ones that were not Native Texans seemed to like it more, but overall it just didn't do much for me except the story about Matthew McConaughey & the bongos (which I already knew since I live in Austin & was here when that happened). :)
While there is a tiny bit of those things, there is an enormous amount of politics and while, yes, that is important, I didn't think that would be 2/3 of the book. There were 14 of us for this book club meeting and 6 of us are Native Texans and none of us really enjoyed this. The ones that were not Native Texans seemed to like it more, but overall it just didn't do much for me except the story about Matthew McConaughey & the bongos (which I already knew since I live in Austin & was here when that happened). :)
Definitely one of the top five books I’ve read this year. Mr. Wright does an excellent job of writing of the strengths and weaknesses of Texas and Texans, humanizing people and breaking down monolithic myths. His viewpoints, insights, and autobiographical detail are touching. His tutorial on Texas politics and their importance on our national politics shows his mastery. The book is written as it only can be from an intelligent and observant native son.
DNF, halfway in and started to realize while some of the history is interesting, I do not care enough about Lawrence Wright’s playwriting, political views, or bike rides to want to finish this book.
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
Mostly memoir with a good dash of history, Wright perfectly captured my complicated feelings about my home state. I enjoyed going with him on a sort of road trip of memories about a place that's always home in my heart even if I feel inclined to leave.
A love letter to Texas. Very informative and full of quirky Texas personalities. Enjoyed it immensely.