My review of Thalia: A Texas Trilogy

Thalia: A Texas Trilogy by Larry McMurtry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is one of those books that I didn't want to end. It's so good. He was just a kid when he wrote it, and the subject matter is fairly astounding for early 1960s, set in Texas, by a Texas author. Reading it now, in 2018, with such a polarized national conscious reminds me that there are real people everywhere, with real lives, and that we must really see each other and look past prejudice. McMurtry has this amazing ability to characterize and understand people. I felt like I knew the people and place in this book - three books, all set in the same windy, high-plains Texas town near Kansas, Thalia. I'm glad he's a prolific author, because I'm looking forward to reading more of his books. He doesn't challenge the reader, he doesn't put you into conflict, or ask you to evaluate or reconcile difficult concepts. This is why I think of his writing as a guilty pleasure; it's good, not cheap or weak, but easy. I enjoy it a lot, and it makes me a little better.

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Family & bikes

Frieda Weissenborn, née Hildebrand, top center, Julius Weissenborn, top right, my great-grandparents

This photo has hung in my father's house since I was little. It's his mother's parents out on a bicycle ride, probably before they were married and their children were born. Based on the clothes and the bicycles I'd say circa 1895. They were married 1898 in Rhode Island, and their first - of eight - children was born in 1899. They would have been perhaps 20 (him) and 18 (her) in this photo. I don't know who the other people are... yet.

JOAQUIN MILLER, SHRINE BUILDER Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California)16 Nov 1919, Sun Page 59 & 60

Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) 16 Nov 1919, Sun Page 59 & 60

I am no fan of Joaquin Miller. He apparently was a poseur, a faker, but probably very interesting in person. His poetry has not stood the test of time, but as a neighbor of his property, I find the park, trails, canyons and creeks fascinating, and he is connected to the idea of this place. I had been curious where the name of the trail "Bishop's Walk" came from. I found it, and much more. Here's the article I found, and the research I did on its content. There's a lot in here. I'm going to learn more about Fremont road... - MF

JOAQUIN MILLER, SHRINE BUILDER