HISTORY

Big Wonderful Thing: A History of Texas

by Stephen Harrigan
Univ. of Texas. Oct. 2019. 944p. illus. maps. notes. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780292759510. $35. HIST
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Best-selling novelist Harrigan (Gates of the Alamo) is well positioned to provide a new take on Texas history, presenting a narrative that not only covers the legends of popular lore, such as Davy Crockett and the siege of the Alamo, but also presents a more nuanced view of the traditional mythologies through the perspectives of people who have often been marginalized. Essentially, this is Texas history as seen and discovered by Harrigan through his experiences as a child and a scholar of the state, providing “behind the curtain” glimpses of his process of crafting the work.
VERDICT Harrigan is a master storyteller and weaves a highly enjoyable tale of Texas that is sometimes tall but always big. A must-read for all Texans and those who are curious about more than the legend of the state.
Reviewed by Michael C. Miller, Austin P.L. & Austin History Ctr., TX , Oct 01, 2019
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