Texas: In Her Own Words (2024)

Texas in Her Own Words by Tweed Scott is an amazing compilation of Texans telling it like it is: what does it mean to be a Texan, and what makes Texas so special? These questions are harder to answer than most people realize. Many of the interviewees in this book say a lot of the same things, but the overarching themes are Pride and Attitude. Texans are proud of this great state’s history and diversity in people and environment. Other words I gleaned from these accounts include freedom, identity, opportunity, different (from other states), space, and friendly. I can personally relate to several Texans in this book telling people in foreign countries they’re from Texas and then watching their faces light up. Texas has a romantic mystique that’s hard to resist.

Tweed interviewed (in person and by email) many people who were born in Texas and still live here, born in Texas and live elsewhere, or born elsewhere and got to Texas in a big hurry. Texas has always been a land of opportunity and second chances (according to several accounts in this book), and all are welcome to settle here and call Texas home. There’s plenty of room!

Many people interviewed are multi-generation Texans. These people have a deep-rooted pride in Texas, and they are more than happy to give you a bit (or a lot) of their history. The first-generation Texans and the transplants have a lot to be proud of as well, so if you’re from here and love reading about Texas or are simply curious about what makes this state so great and why Texans have a Texas-size attitude about anything and everything Texas, then this book is for you. Settle in with Tweed Scott’s fascinating collection of stories from several everyday Texans (and a few famous ones too). True, this book has a lot of repetition; however, that repetition highlights the commonality among Texans because we all feel the same pride and attitude about Texas. We love our Lone Star flag, and we love the shape of our state!

How can you can spot a true Texan? He or she will be the one who is all choked up and teary eyed after seeing the flags and reading the names inside the Alamo.

A Texas-sized Thank You to Lone Star Book Blog Tours and Tweed Scott for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Texas – I wasn’t born here, but I got here as fast I could ;) A bit of an adaptation of a famous quote (from a song by Bobby Boyd); we see it on bumper stickers and t-shirts. There is something very special about Texas – the culture, the atmosphere, the people, the pride in our state’s achievements. That’s why I loved learning about the book Texas In Her Own Words.

What’s a history book without being a history book? Texas In Her Own Words is that. It is a compilation of stories and interviews from Texans telling everyone what makes Texas great. They share historical facts as well as their own experiences. They share Texas’s heart and soul, to really give an outsider the understanding of what Texas really is.

Some chapters stood out to me more than others of the ones I read. For example, Joel W. Richardson’s chapter contains a list of “rules” for moving to Texas. A fun tongue-in-cheek list of how Texans behave. Such as, Texans open doors for women. And yes, everyone drives trucks and you will get dust on your car no matter how slow you drive so move it and don’t forget to wave.

Some of my favorite quotes from the book:

“We think of ourselves at Texans even if we’re transplanted.” Don Taylor
-SO true! Like I said, I wasn’t born here, I wasn’t even born in the States, but I’m very much Texan thankyouverymuch!

“When I get in the state of Texas I can relax because I know I am amongst friends no matter where I am.” Robert Higginbotham
-Something special about the people here just makes us connect with them. And if you’re travelling and learn someone else is from Texas? Instant friend, amIrite?

So yes, if you’re a Texan (or just wish you were) check out Texas In her Own Words. You might just find a personal story or interview that you really connect with, and can learn a lot too 

This is by my friend Tweed Scott. I hope to get to this book in the next few weeks.

This is the best book on Texana I have read. The graphics are excellent and the interviews are historic.

This is a fantastic book, especially for anyone who loves Texas. The passion and beauty held within the pages are contagious!

In Texas in Her Own Wordsauthor, Tweed Scott combined over 60 interviews from Texans on their feelings of living in this great state. Most of the interviews are straightforward with being some actual question and answer interviews with Scott.

This book brings a varied group of people together to talk about their heartfelt feelings on Texas. Texas is a diverse state and Scott’s interviews reflect that deep diversity. You’d expect from the variety of the interviews that some repetition of Texas history and feelings will occur but it's not overbearing. Texas seceding was mentioned several times.

Hands down it's a beautiful book that includes historical snippets of Texas. It’s a good learning tool like reading about one of the oldest laws in Texas. Divided into sections from Texas history, pride, legends, diversity to customs a reader can pick and choose the sections they want to read. My one problem with the book, not all the photos were captioned. Photos tell stories in of themselves.

One of the best interviews is from the reflections by the former sheriff of Luckenbach, Texas. Another strong point is the Texas State Cemetery history section that provides remarkable information from the first person being buried there to “Old Yeller’s” author. Cemeteries are an incredible source of history. Scott did an excellent job summarizing this important history.

As one interviewee stated, “Texas is a tangible, emotional, visceral reaction.” It’s true. Scott’s book gives voice to all those feelings and more through the people he interviewed.

Scott’s book may be the most revealing book to date on Texas’ story as told through people who either were born and raised in Texas or have become permanent residents.

Texas is (dare I say it?) a special place, a special state, a special part of the world. There is no doubt about it – just ask any Texan you run across and they will tell you so. And you’d best not doubt them, because they can prove it – and they will jump at the chance to set you straight. I know this because I am a first generation Texan, father of two second generation Texans, and grandfather of three young third generation Texans. My Texas citizenship has served me well in a lifetime spent traveling and working throughout the world, but, hey, don’t take my word for it. Tweed Scott has written/edited a whole book in which my fellow Texans make the case for this wonderful state.

Texas in Her Own Words (Second Edition) is a compilation of dozens of interviews that Scott did with Texans from one corner of the state to the other. Interviewees include ordinary Texans from every walk of life, ranging from folks you’ve never heard of all the way to superstars like country music singer Willie Nelson. The first thing that jumps out at you about Scott’s interviews is that, if you pay no attention to the speaker’s identity, they all, each and every one of them, have two things in common: a deep love of Texas and a strong sense of self-identification as a Texan. This is true regardless of whether the interviewee is a sixth generation Texan or someone who got here a decade ago almost by accident. Even those newcomers now call Texas home in every sense of the word.

Why is Texas this way? After all, every state in the Union has a relatively unique history of its own to be proud of, so why don’t people from Wisconsin and Arizona feel as deeply proud of their state heritage as Texan’s feel of theirs? As you can imagine, Tweed Scott has given this question a good bit of thought over the years he has worked to put the two editions of Texas in Her Own Words together. And he has reached some interesting conclusions regarding the psychology of the average Texan and how new generations of passionate Texans continue to be created to this day (although that is getting a bit more difficult to do with each generation, I think).

Scott concludes that Texans, no matter where in this huge state they live, have at least four traits in common, traits that bind them together as Texans even if they enjoy very different Texas lifestyles. West Texas cowboys, South Texas Hispanics, East Texas southerners, Gulf Coast beach lovers, and those sturdy folk who live up in the Texas Panhandle all have enough in common to make them brothers under the skin, and just plain old Texans above all else in their self-identity. They recognize each other when they meet out of state or in foreign countries – and they never miss the opportunity to connect when that happens.

But let Tweed Scott explain it to you – with a lot of help from his friends. Texas in Her Own Words is a feel-good book for Texans, and maybe it will explain us to a few of our friends in the rest of the country who just don’t get us.

Never finished it as it just became too tedious. I understand the message that was being conveyed--I believe it and understand it. I just didn't like the packaging of the message. I thought the book was poorly edited and could have been organized better/differently--I can't stand finding typos in a published book--there is NO EXCUSE for that.

I love Texas. I am a Native Texan. I wanted to love this book, but I just couldn't. I found some of the interviews to just be rambling and some to leave me saying, "Huh?" In many cases, it was just the same thing over and over and over and over.

Sorry Scott . . . I really tried. I did.

Being a native Texan, this book spoke to me ! It even changed my mind about where I wanted to be buried. :) I originally decided that when the time comes to put my ashes in the ground, I wanted them to be scattered over the island of Kauai, Hawaii. But after reading this book, I want to have my ashes scattered over the land where my family has farmed for more than 100 years. Love, love, love this book ! I have shared it with my brothers.

When anyone asks me why I live in Texas, I recommend this book.