The Texana Review - Podcasts

Bill Leftwich - cowboy, writer, artist, Texan

HAPPY 85TH BIRTHDAY, Bill Leftwich!

Bill Leftwich lives and works quietly in Fort Davis, Texas. 

He's known as an artist, writer, sculptor, leather worker, educator and storyteller. 

He used to cowboy a bit and worked with the USDA down in Mexico while the United States and Mexico fought the hoof-and-mouth disease. 

But his love lies in his art and even at 85 years old, he's up-and-at-em every day - sculpting, drawing, painting and writing.

I visited with him about a year ago

Listen...

23:00 minutes

Music by Luke McNeil under Creative Commons License Podshow Podsafe Music Network

 

 

Technorati Tags: Texana Review,Ed Blackburn,Texas,cowboy,artist,sculptor,writer

An interview with David Wilkinson, co-author of "One Ranger"

In my opinion, David Marion Wilkinson is one of the finest, intuitive writers Texas has to offer these days.

I was introduced to David’s writing when I met Joaquin Jackson at a doowa in Houston, Texas about two years ago. He and David had written a book together … a book that has become a runaway bestseller – titled "One Ranger."

As a former Texas Ranger, Jackson told his story, and David converted it into exquisite prose.

David had written several other books before "One Ranger," and is currently working on a couple of others.

He visited me in San Angelo earlier this year and this is what he had to say…

 

Listen...

30:00 minutes

Music by liveloop under Creative Commons License Podshow Podsafe Music Network

Buy David Wilkinson's books HERE

 

Technorati Tags: Texana Review,Ed Blackburn,Texas,books,David Wilkinson,stories

Chapter One from Charles Chupp's "Frankly Speaking"

Charles Chupp came to my attention in a used book store in Houston about two years ago when I pulled his “Nth Reader” from the bookshelf …and where I immediately fell in love with his storytellin’.

When Charles called and asked if I would read a couple of chapters of his new book “Frankly Speaking,” I felt honored, and immediately accepted.

What comes next is my interpretation of the first chapter of Charles Chupp’s – “Frankly Speaking.”

Chapter Two to follow under separate posting.

Listen...

16:29 minutes

Song "Ja Da" by Cliff Edwards

buy "Frankly Speaking" HERE

Technorati Tags: Texana Review,Ed Blackburn,Great Depression,Charles Chupp,Texas,Texas stories

Chapter Two from Charles Chupp's "Frankly Speaking"

 

What follows is my interpretation of the second chapter of Charles Chupp’s – “Frankly Speaking.”

Charles Chupp came to my attention in a used book store in Houston about two years ago when I pulled his “Nth Reader” from the bookshelf …and where I immediately fell in love with his storytellin’.

When Charles called and asked if I would read a couple of chapters of his new book “Frankly Speaking,” I felt honored, and immediately accepted.

Listen...

16:51 minutes

Song "Ja Da" by Cliff Edwards

buy "Frankly Speaking" HERE

Technorati Tags: Texana Review,Ed Blackburn,Great Depression,Charles Chupp,Texas,Texas stories

Elmer and Anni Kelton - a Love Story: Part Three

A continuation of my interview with renowned western author, Elmer Kelton, and his wife, Anni, about how they met in Austria at the end of World War II and eventually married.

Listen...

18:23 minutes

Music by Barry McCabe under Creative Commons License

Find Elmer Kelton's books at your local bookstore or Amazon.com HERE

 

Technorati Tags: Literature,western literature,Texana Review,Ed Blackburn,Elmer Kelton,Spur Award Winner,Western Heritage Award,Texas

Sharon Spinks talks about her book, "Law on the Last Frontier"

I met Sharon Spinks in San Angelo where she was speaking at an author’s conference for area high school students.

She had recently published a book titled “Law on the Last Frontier,” framed around the exploits of her grandfather-in-law, Texas Ranger Arthur Hill.

Several weeks later, Sharon and I met in Abilene to chat about her book.

"In a career forged in the saddle on scout duty along the Rio Grande, Arthur Hill witnessed dramatic changes in his working life as a Texas Ranger from 1947 to 1974. Whether inspecting brands, deterring smugglers of everything from cattle to candle wax, or giving horseback pursuit across unforgiving terrain, often into Mexico, Hill found himself immersed day to day in a world that straddled centuries as well as cultures." - from dust jacket

Watch our chat!

Watch with Windows Media Player...

Get "Law on the Last Frontier" at Amazon.com HERE

 

Technorati Tags: Texana Review,Ed Blackburn,Texas,Texas Ranger,Books,Texas History

A chat with Don Griffis about his "Eagle Days"

(Originally produced for the San Angelo Review which merged with The Texana Review in March 2008)

Don Griffis is a lawyer in San Angelo. As a matter of fact, he grew up in San Angelo, went to public schools in the city and married the girl down the street.

He went off to college and learned to be a lawyer – a good one. He’s a partner with the Jackson Walker law firm.

He’s also been active in the San Angelo community, offering his time and effort with organizations ranging from the YMCA to the Boy Scouts.  He contributed his leadership talent on the San Angelo City Council and the Concho Valley Alcohol and Drug Abuse Council.

Mr. Griffis is a Vietnam veteran. He was a Marine who wore two hats – one as a Legal Officer, the other as an Infantry Officer.

While many served in Vietnam, only a few have written about their experiences.  Don Griffis is one of those.

His book is titled “Eagle Days,” and he agreed to talk with me about it and a little about himself.

Listen...

18:30 minutes

Music by Brian Drotar under Creative Commons license

More about Don Griffis HERE

buy "Eagle Days" at your local book store or at Amazon.com HERE

 

Technorati Tags: Texana Review,Ed Blackburn,San Angelo,Texas,San Angelo Review

Elmer and Anni Kelton - a Love Story: Part Two

A continuation of my interview with renowned western author, Elmer Kelton, and his wife, Anni, about how they met in Austria at the end of World War II and eventually married.

Listen...

14:40 minutes

Music by Barry McCabe under Creative Commons License

Find Elmer Kelton's Books at your local bookstore or Amazon.com HERE

 

Technorati Tags: Literature,western literature,Texana Review,Ed Blackburn,Elmer Kelton,Spur Award Winner,Western Heritage Award,Texas

Dr. Virginia Noelke on the Cactus Hotel in San Angelo, Texas

(Originally published for The San Angelo Review.  Worthy of you listeners of The Texana Review listeners)

The Cactus Hotel is an icon in San Angelo and is a vestige of a bygone era in Texas history that warrants attention and recognition even though the hotel is getting a little frayed around the edges.

Virginia Noelke is a Professor of History at Angelo State University and she’s been at the University for more than 35 years; she's seen a lot of changes.

But what’s interesting about Dr. Noelke is her fascination with the Cactus Hotel, built by none other than Conrad Hilton and opened in 1929, which turned out to be not such a good year for him, or the United States, for that matter.

Anyway, Dr. Noelke researched and wrote a book about the Cactus, titled A History of the Cactus Hotel and published in 1996.

Dr. Noelke agreed to talk with me about the Cactus and her book, which, sad to say, is no longer in print.

Listen to what she has to say…

Listen...

24:00 minutes

Music by Dave Howard under Creative Commons License Podshow Podsafe Music Network

Find out more about Dr. Virginia Noelke HERE

 

Technorati Tags: Texana Review,San Angelo Review,Ed Blackburn,Texas,history

Texas Macabre - a bizarre history of a Texas hero. An interview with author Stephen L. Hardin

I’d been invited to visit the Buffalo Gap Historic Village by David Gibson, the podcast historian in Abilene, and new-found friend in New Media.

I met David outside the building where we agreed to meet, and he immediately took me inside to meet Dr. Stephen L. Hardin, professor of history at Victoria College in Victoria, Texas and board member of the McWhinney Foundation.

Several years ago, Dr. Hardin wrote a book titled Texian Illiad, which has sold modestly but which has helped establish his reputation as a new Texas historian.

He has a new book out now, titled Texian Macabre, which we visited about while we were together and which presents an incredible picture of an individual by the name of David James Jones, who is cast against a background of not only early Texas but also a budding burg called Houston.

No, not a novel.  It's Texas history by Stephen L. Hardin.

Sounds like a good story to me.

You should listen to our chat…

Listen...

20:00 minutes

Music by Markovich under Creative Commons License Podshow Podsafe Music Network

Buy Texian Macabre HERE

Technorati Tags: Texana Review, Ed Blackburn, Books, history, Texas, Stephen Hardin