A Letter to Remember
To the People of Texas & All Americans in the World.
William Barret Travis
Howdy, y’all.
In an effort to keep Y’allogy fresh and vibrant, this particular edition follows a different trail than the ones we’ve grown accustomed to following. Inspired by the newsletter of
, on occasion, say every quarter or so, I’m going to offer a list of ten Texas things worth sharing—a curation of books, videos, recipes, historical sites, and any other Texas-based doodads I think y’all’ll find interesting. So, let’s saddle up and hit the trail.Music: Not long ago, while scrolling through Twitter, I came across a video of Stevie Ray Vaughn and the slick choreography between him and his guitar tech after SRV broke a string. Also, check out Lyle Lovett, the best dressed man in Country music, and his NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert.
Books (1): Brett McKay isn’t a Texan, but his website The Art of Manliness is filled with Texas-sized advice, including “21 Western Novels Every Man Should Read.” Blood Meridian is on that list and can be a challenging read. To help with the language, background, and setting check out this reading guide by John Sepich. You might also be interested in my review of McCarthy’s magnum opus: “Beautiful Violence.”
Books (2): Not all the books on the “21 Western Novels Every Man Should Read” are Texas novels. So, you should add these three: Elizabeth Crook’s The Which Way Tree and its sequel The Madstone, as well as Lawrence Wright’s Mr. Texas—especially if you’re looking for a humorous (though realistic) look at Texas politics and politicians.
Movies: Lawrence Wright is not only a novelist, he’s also an essayist. Recently, his God Save Texas has been adapted into three documentary films on HBO/Max.
History: Mrs. Texas and I were recently in San Antonio to see the William Barret Travis “Victory or Death” letter at the Alamo. Written and dispatched from there on February 24, 1836, the letter is 188 years old. It’s only been at the Alamo one other time in that long history, in 2013. Though now back in Austin at the Texas State Library and Archives, it’s worth reading.
Museums: Next time you find yourself in the Alamo City pay homage to the brave men who died at the Alamo—Texian, Tejano, and Mexican. But be sure to also stop in at The Briscoe Western Art Museum.
San Antonio: There are more wonderful places to eat in San Antonio than just about any other city in Texas. These three restaurants are staples for Mrs. Texas and I: Schilo’s Delicatessen (pronounced “she-lows”) for breakfast (and a cold root beer in the afternoon), Casa Rio on the Riverwalk for authentic Chili Queen chili (no beans), and Mi Tierra Café y Panadería for the festive ambiance, enchiladas, mole, flour tortillas, and sopapillas.
Fashion: Not long ago, Mrs. Texas and I stopped in the Frisco store of Tumbleweed Texstyles and geared up with some Texcentric teeshirts and caps. Its a fun stop if you find yourself in the Dallas area. If you can’t make that, however, get all the garb you need online.
Queso: Cowboy cook Ken Rollins has a wonderful queso recipe. But if you don’t want to work that hard, you can’t go wrong with H.E.B.’s Tex-Mex Brisket Queso. You can thank me later.
Y’allogy: Speaking of cowboy cooking, here’s a list of recipes from old-time cow cooks—from the archives: “Cowboy Recipes.”
What you just read was 1836% pure Texas. If you enjoyed the article I hope you’ll share it with your Texas-loving friends to let them know about Y’allogy.
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Dios y Tejas.
SRV at ACL. A top 10 moment any way you slice it.