Texas – A World in Itself

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It’s fascinating. It’s amusing. It’s poignant. It’s disheartening. It’s disgusting.

George Sessions Perry’s Texas: A World In Itself provides a realistic snapshot of the Texas of the mid-20th century. Published in 1942 during the early years of World War II, the stories and attitudes reflect those that both blessed and afflicted Texas.

Perry’s narrative style is reminiscent of the banter of a group of old guys gathered at the barber shop on Saturday mornings. It’s informal and it’s all over the place. In one chapter, he’ll describe quite effectively some characteristic of 1940s Texas, such as language and vocabulary. Next, he’ll relate something—in an informal, almost homespun way—like a brief history of Texas legend Sam Houston. Then he may tell a poignant story about the state’s support of the war effort through its young men, followed by another chapter relating the Texan army’s defeat at the Alamo in 1836.

Somehow it works well.

Unfortunately, Perry’s narrative also reflects the racial biases that were ingrained in Texas culture. His comments tarnish the sheen of what otherwise would have been a delightful informal history.

It’s evident that Texas: A World In Itself paints a complete and accurate picture of the Texas of the 20th century. Much of it is big and great.

But some of it is not so pretty.

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Quotes

Undoubtedly, the old Longhorn was the greatest of the Texians.  We might still have made it through even without Sam Houston, but the Longhorn, the doughty old aborigine, not only nourished, clothed, and housed us, but set us an example of a way to live.

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