Tales of Old-Time Texas (Paperback)

~ J. Frank Dobie (Author), Barbara Latham (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

It is for good reason that J. Frank Dobie is known as the Southwest's master storyteller. With his eye for color and detail, his ear for the rhythm of language and song, and his heart open to the simple truth of folk wisdom and ways, he movingly and unpretentiously spins the tales of our collective heritages. This he does in Tales of Old-Time Texas, a heartwarming array of twenty-eight stories filled with vivid characters, exciting historical episodes, and traditional themes. As Dobie himself says: "Any tale belongs to whoever can best tell it." Here, then, is a collection of the best Texas tales--by the Texan who can best tell them. Dobie's recollections include such classics in Lone Star State lore as the tale of Jim Bowie's knife, the legend of the Texas bluebonnet, the story of the Wild Woman of the Navidad, and the account of the headless horseman of the mustangs. Other stories in this outstanding collection regale us with odd and interesting characters and events: the stranger of Sabine Pass, the Apache secret of the Guadalupes, the planter who gambled away his bride, and the Robinhooding of Sam Bass. These stories, and many more, make Tales of Old-Time Texas a beloved classic certain to endure for generations.

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: University of Texas Press; 5th edition (1984)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0292780699
• ISBN-13: 978-0292780699
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #448,560 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The untold history of Texas, November 14, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Tales of Old-Time Texas (Hardcover)

Forget about the Alamo, San Jacinto and the heros that have made Texas famous throughout the world. Here are the stories only the real Texans know about. These are the stories my grandmother used to tell me when I was a kid. They carry on the tall-tale tradition and reinforce the Texan image of grandeur and hyperbole.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lots of fun!, February 22, 1999

By A Customer

This is a great old book. Read about Josiah Wilbarger, who lived through a scalping and the woman who found him in her dreams, a bear who stole a pig and fattened it up, a ghost rider, a thief who took things from homes and walked right by the owner's dogs, a man who fought a tribe of hostile Indians singlehanded with the help of a load of hickory nuts, and various amusing stories about lost treasure and frontier life. This book is a treasure trove of tall tales and yarns that I couldn't put down.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Texas Tales Well Told, October 14, 1999

By	Fred Rhodes "frhodes" (Houston) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tales of Old-Time Texas (Hardcover)

It is for good reason that J. Frank Dobie is known as the Southwest's master storyteller. With his eye for color and detail, his ear for rhythm of language and song, he movingly spins tales of Texas collective heritages. This is a collection of 28 stories filled with vivid characters, exciting historical episodes, and traditional themes.