BIG WONDERFUL THING

Narrator George Guidall bestows his abundant gifts on this sprawling audiobook on the history of Texas. His melodious tone well serves the often outsized events and unusual folklore of The Lone Star State. Details include accounts of Sam Houston's wardrobe and the history of the horned toad. Always an impeccable storyteller, Guidall artfully relates the dozens of profiles, yarns, and historical anecdotes that range from colonial times to the present with restraint (Texas has had horrific lynchings), authority (the listener feels the wide expanses), and his characteristic measured style (whether he's recounting battles on the field or at the statehouse). Author Harrigan has written a monumental paean to his state. By turns travelogue, political treatise, and thoughtful guide to personalities, this audiobook leaves the listener fully satisfied. A.D.M. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2020]