Texas: In her own Words

…..As told to Tweed Scott

Kinky Friedman wrote the introduction.  Willie Nelson is in the book.  So is his old friend Darrell Royal.  It’s a book about Texas and Texans  written and compiled by a former radio man from Austin.   I’m one of the Texans featured in the book along with those other guys, whoever they are.

There are more people and places and legends and Texas icons in this book than you can shake a stick at.   And they literally come from all walks of life.  Folks such as Texas lawman Adan Ballesteros.  It was good to meet him and his wife at the book signing held recently at The Writing Barn in Austin.  Bob Cole of KVET is in the book.  John Kelso, longtime Austin American-Statesman columnist/curmudgeon is in there, Poodie Locke, Liz Carpenter, Vivian Bloys Grubb, and more.  Texas author Tweed Scott had so much material to work with in finding and interviewing interesting Texans, he had to have this second edition printed.  It’s a ‘must have’ on any self respecting Texan’s bookshelf.  Let me tell you a little more about it all and how you can also get this “must have”  book on Texas and Texans.

Yes, you can order the book from Amazon if that is your preference.  Click here.

When I went to  college in San Marcos in 1967, I still had not watched much TV.  I did not grow up with a TV in my house as a youngster.  Lots of folks out in West Texas did not have one back then.  I was probably 10 years old when we did get one and it was a small black and white screen set inside a big stand up box that was perpetually fuzzy looking.  There were only three stations available and two of ’em were grainy likenesses of TV news reporters with West Texas accents.  As an active kid in a small town, I went to school, then straight to whatever practice was in session such as football, basketball, track, volleyball for the girls, tennis and more.  Then it was dinner-time, sit outside time, and as we got a little older, cruising main street time.  Beer drinking time.  TV just wasn’t in the cards.

But I did grow up in a house with books and was frequently around people who read books and discussed current events.  We received three daily newspapers at our house and I read all of them.  We got same day delivery on The Dallas Morning News, Fort Worth Star Telegram, and San Angelo Standard-Times.  Yes, same day.  They put the bundles on the bus and the bundles got to remote areas of Texas around noon or so.  Now we have to subscribe to their E-edition to get that same day news.

I grew up loving books and have stacks and stacks of them at my house.  I read constantly.  The book I am currently reading is – Texas:  In her own Words, as told to Tweed Scott.

As a student in San Marcos, I soon found my favorite radio station, still not much TV, and tuned in.  It was there that I found Tweed Scott along with Sammy Allred and Bob Cole at radio station KVET.  I knew them back then through their voices and I now know Tweed personally and many other interesting Texans through Tweed’s book, Texas: In her own Words.  He interviewed noteworthy Texans and let them explain in their own words what Texas and the Texas attitude meant to them.  Tweed found me through Real Texas Blog as he is an avid reader of all things Texan.

He had to know more about The National Blog of Texas.

Tweed Scott says there is a T-Chromosome us native Texans are born with.  He began asking around what is it that makes Texans so special, and it became his quest, his mission.  His book is a result of that quest to find the answer to “Why are Texans the way they are?”  He asked me and a few more Texans to try and help answer that question in our own words.  I’m honored to be included as one of many Real Texas spokes persons.

Kinky Friedman explained that Tweed gave many ‘spiritual Texans,’ those not native born – but got here as soon as they could – Texans, a chance to enjoy what is great and unique about our state.  After all, Kinky says, this is the state Sam Houston fought for.  It’s the state Davy Crockett died for.

Kinky added that you might place this book on your bookshelf between Larry McMurtry and J.Frank Dobie.

Me?  I’ve got mine signed and autographed right here in my hands.  Can’t put it down….Folks in the book have so much pride in being Texans.  How about these samples:  Texas Poet Laureate Steve Fromholtz, Lady Bird’s press secretary Liz Carpenter, Fort Davis sculptor Bill Leftwich, Vivian Bloys, Austin Columnist John Kelso, and a friend I haven’t seen in several years in person, Roger Moore.  He is an advertising executive and cartoonist who draws Texas History cartoons.  Roger sells a popular calendar that starts the year out on March 2nd, Texas Independence Day.

Texas:  In Her Own Words also features several new friends of mine.  Dave Pilot of Roanoke who says, ” Everybody in Texas has a shot if they want it.”  A bilingual  friend of mine says it is ‘Ganas’ or desire.  That’s it Dave.  Everybody has a shot.  If they have ‘ganas.’

Doug Moreland, an Austin (Manchaca) based entertainer was born in Alpine.  He tells the family story of his Texas granny who attended Sul Ross State University out in the high country.  Seems a professor gave her an ‘F’ in a subject and his granny knocked that professor out cold.  Knocked him over his desk unconscious.  The Sul Ross folks kicked her out of college for that. Moreland comes by his Texas songs honestly.

I had to laugh at that one.  And many, many more.

I love this book.

Tweed Scott has done the people of The Great State a great service.  I have to tell you, I just feel better having read the book and seeing it sit there prominently on my bookshelf.

And it is so darn easy to get your own copy.

You can get yours very easily.  Click here.

I’m David out in Real Texas

Still reading Texas stories…..

Tagged as: books about Texas, Famous Texans in books, Texas attitudes, texas books, Texas explained