The Bookshelf, The Parlor, The Young Texas Reader, and the Monthly

The Texas Bookshelf is different from the The Texas Parlor, http://texasparlor.blogspot.com/ . The Texas Parlor carries "general" bookish information and non-book information and even different Texana news and notes of use to the bibliographically challenged and other nosey folks intersted in historical, literary, and cultural observations. Will's Texana Monthly may carry material from either blog, but extends itself beyond those, especially for longer compilations or treatments. The Monthly, the Bookshelf and the Parlor are all companions. So, is the Young Texas Reader http://youngtexasreader.blogspot.com/ which specialized on books and such things for the youngest to the teenagers.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Texas Eccentrics - Kuhn

       Texas Eccentrics.  By John Kuhn. Art by Dennis Menese.  Dallas:  Atriad, 2008.  272 pages, paperback, copious illustrations, $19.95 ISBN: 1-933177-12-8

http://www.texaseccentrics.com/  http://atriadpress.com

 

John Kuhn is a founding co-editor of Fear and Trembling Magazine.  His book's funny, quirky.  Demonstrate how easily you can transition from your urbane, sedate lifestyle.  Spruce up your conversation with references to over 100 eccentric Texans.  And the categories are "Bizarre Businesspeople" with Jeff Bezos, Howard Hughes, H.L. Hunt, etc., "Peculiar Politicians" with Judge Roy Bean, Kinky Friedman, Ron Paul, etc., "Strange Sports Figures" with Mark Cuban, George Foreman, Dennis Rodman, etc., "Atypical Artists" with Gatemouth Brown, Janis Joplin, Anna Nichol Smith, etc., and "Other Oddballs" with Boxcar Willie, Wrong Way Corrigan, Carlos Esparza, Wolfman Jack, etc.  And more you don't know, unless you're already kinda strange.

Or get the book for the kids, especially the normal kids.  Each quick bio is headed by notes on the person's name, life dates, Texas connection, occupation, claim to weirdness, and the person's place in the Tex-centricity scale.  Kuhn's volume is an enjoyable light and easy read.  Get one for the neighbors; yes, you know which ones!

See some of Kuhn's other publications at

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