Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
informative
reflective
fast-paced
funny
informative
reflective
slow-paced
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
informative
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
informative
reflective
medium-paced
adventurous
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Amazing book for anyone. Whether you’re a Texan and want to understand more about your state and what helped shape you, or a non-Texan seeking to understand the idea and mind state of Texas, this explains it all. It humbles as much as it excites. Balances historical facts with personal insights from the author himself, and covers every topic from politics to music. Highly recommend
I'm a native New Yorker, which probably makes me constitutionally obliged to hate Texas. It's too hot and is entirely devoid of decent pizza. Nonetheless I'm a little skeptical of writers who come from New York or Los Angeles and try to explain Texas for us Yankees. It's a good thing that Lawrence Wright wrote this and not one of us--as a native Texan who still lives in the state, he's better placed to explain it and to be affectionately critical.
There isn't a real plot or structure to the book--it's a series of stories, part reporting, part memoir. Wright is a fine writer, with a good sense of humor he hasn't gotten to display in his recent nonfiction. He's sharply critical of Texas politics while also keen to point out, for the benefit of northeasterners who think all Texans are evangelical Tea Party boosters, that the far right of the Republican Party has completely hijacked the state and pushed its socially conservative agenda without the voter support you might think it has.
Overall, very enjoyable (and with many quotable anecdotes, such as Phil Collins' collection of Alamo relics).
There isn't a real plot or structure to the book--it's a series of stories, part reporting, part memoir. Wright is a fine writer, with a good sense of humor he hasn't gotten to display in his recent nonfiction. He's sharply critical of Texas politics while also keen to point out, for the benefit of northeasterners who think all Texans are evangelical Tea Party boosters, that the far right of the Republican Party has completely hijacked the state and pushed its socially conservative agenda without the voter support you might think it has.
Overall, very enjoyable (and with many quotable anecdotes, such as Phil Collins' collection of Alamo relics).
This book was a decent resource to learn about a few facts of Texas. I'm pretty sure I finished this book but my notes say otherwise. I read this right before going to the SISU IRON and I went through another Metamorphosis that weekend so my memory isn't the most reliable. Although, I believe this was written by a filthy liberal so all you staunch conservatives that love Texas might have your tender feelings hurt about your precious Texas.
And speaking of filthy liberals something I learned is that in the first half of the 20th Century both California and Texas were opposite in the political parties that they are today. So weird to think it was like that. I guess Texas turned red (Republican because of migration in the 50's and 60's then steady growth in the suburbs. To quote Lloyd Christmas, "So you're telling me there's a chance."
"The danger of holding onto a myth is it acts like a religion we stop believing in."
Notes:
Texas uses 17% wind power. Using more electricity than another state, it has the cheapest electrical costs. Pretty neat, huh?
Houston is the single most ethnically diverse metro area in the nation. 1 out of 4 is foreign born. 142 languages are spoken. It led the nation in refugees at one point a few years ago. Wild stuff, huh?
Austin is the second most tourist destination in the country behind Las Vegas. I find that one very hard to believe. I liked in Austin. The pinchy part even.
And that's all I got. See, I think I missed something.
And speaking of filthy liberals something I learned is that in the first half of the 20th Century both California and Texas were opposite in the political parties that they are today. So weird to think it was like that. I guess Texas turned red (Republican because of migration in the 50's and 60's then steady growth in the suburbs. To quote Lloyd Christmas, "So you're telling me there's a chance."
"The danger of holding onto a myth is it acts like a religion we stop believing in."
Notes:
Texas uses 17% wind power. Using more electricity than another state, it has the cheapest electrical costs. Pretty neat, huh?
Houston is the single most ethnically diverse metro area in the nation. 1 out of 4 is foreign born. 142 languages are spoken. It led the nation in refugees at one point a few years ago. Wild stuff, huh?
Austin is the second most tourist destination in the country behind Las Vegas. I find that one very hard to believe. I liked in Austin. The pinchy part even.
And that's all I got. See, I think I missed something.