Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Fasten your seatbelts as PBS Books and the Library of Congress visit Texas on our next stop in American Stories: A Reading Road Trip. Join us on July 23rd at 8pm ET/ 7pm CT for the episode premiere on the PBS Books YouTube channel, or watch on the PBS Books Facebook page, the PBS app, or pbs.org. Visit pbsbooks.org/readingroadtrip to learn more.
From the Panhandle to the Gulf, Texas is known for its larger-than-life identity, and its stories are no exception. Long before it became an official state, folktales, legends, and corridos shaped its cultural narrative. Writers like Américo Paredes (With His Pistol in His Hand) and J. Frank Dobie (Coronado’s Children) preserved these traditions in print, carrying them into the modern era. The frontier and cowboy mythos later inspired iconic works such as Larry McMurtry’s Lonesome Dove and Cormac McCarthy’s No Country for Old Men, stories that both celebrate and challenge the Texas legend. Beyond the frontier, writers like Katherine Anne Porter (Pale Horse, Pale Rider) expanded the literary landscape with perspectives long absent from the Texas narrative, and Sandra Cisneros' The House on Mango Street brought the perspective of a young Latina girl into the American literary canon.
The story of Texas continues to evolve through the writers shaping its literary landscape today. From wide-open ranges to dense pine forests, there is no single Texas voice. Instead, authors across the state carry forward its storytelling traditions while highlighting the many communities, histories, and cultures that define it. Dr. Carmen Tafolla (Warrior Girl) has spent her career bringing Mexican American voices to the forefront through more than 40 works spanning genres and audiences, often bringing her stories to life through performance. Stephen Harrigan explores the people and events that shaped Texas through his acclaimed journalism for Texas Monthly and novels such as The Gates of the Alamo. Meanwhile, Sarah Bird's Juneteenth Rodeo, a passion project years in the making, celebrates an often-overlooked chapter of Texas history and culture.
Texas's literary story extends far beyond the page. In a state this large and varied, libraries, bookstores, museums, and historic landmarks offer countless opportunities to connect with its past and present. Discover treasures like the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library in Dallas, home to the only copy of the Declaration of Independence west of the Mississippi River, and the Austin Central Library, recognized by TIME as one of the "25 Buildings That Represent America." Along the way, explore collections and cultural institutions that preserve the stories of Texas and the nation. And these remarkable stops are only the beginning of what the Lone Star State has to offer.
This episode is brought to you in part by Libro.fm. Libro.fm shares profits from your audiobook purchases with your chosen bookstore, partnering with more than 4,000 stores around the world. Shop through our PBSBooks.org/Bookshop or PBSBooks.orgLibroFM affiliate links and a portion of your purchase helps PBS Books continue to create original content you love.
tidd.ly/4g8R8Gd
Explore our website: pbsbooks.org
Subscribe to our newsletter: pbsbooks.org/subscribe
Join the Readers Club: facebook.com/groups/pbsbooksreadersclub
Support us: pbsbooks.org/donate
Find your next book: pbsbooks.org/bookshop
#pbsbooks #pbs #author #bookclub #books #rteadingroadtrip #texas #libraryofcongress
Fasten your seatbelts as PBS Books and the Library of Congress visit Texas on our next stop in American Stories: A Reading Road Trip. Join us on July 23rd at 8pm ET/ 7pm CT for the episode premiere on the PBS Books YouTube channel, or watch on the PBS Books Facebook page, the PBS app, or pbs.org. Visit pbsbooks.org/readingroadtrip to learn more.
From the Panhandle to the Gulf, Texas is known for its larger-than-life identity, and its stories are no exception. Long before it became an official state, folktales, legends, and corridos shaped its cultural narrative. Writers like Américo Paredes (With His Pistol in His Hand) and J. Frank Dobie (Coronado’s Children) preserved these traditions in print, carrying them into the modern era. The frontier and cowboy mythos later inspired iconic works such as Larry McMurtry’s Lonesome Dove and Cormac McCarthy’s No Country for Old Men, stories that both celebrate and challenge the Texas legend. Beyond the frontier, writers like Katherine Anne Porter (Pale Horse, Pale Rider) expanded the literary landscape with perspectives long absent from the Texas narrative, and Sandra Cisneros' The House on Mango Street brought the perspective of a young Latina girl into the American literary canon.
The story of Texas continues to evolve through the writers shaping its literary landscape today. From wide-open ranges to dense pine forests, there is no single Texas voice. Instead, authors across the state carry forward its storytelling traditions while highlighting the many communities, histories, and cultures that define it. Dr. Carmen Tafolla (Warrior Girl) has spent her career bringing Mexican American voices to the forefront through more than 40 works spanning genres and audiences, often bringing her stories to life through performance. Stephen Harrigan explores the people and events that shaped Texas through his acclaimed journalism for Texas Monthly and novels such as The Gates of the Alamo. Meanwhile, Sarah Bird's Juneteenth Rodeo, a passion project years in the making, celebrates an often-overlooked chapter of Texas history and culture.
Texas's literary story extends far beyond the page. In a state this large and varied, libraries, bookstores, museums, and historic landmarks offer countless opportunities to connect with its past and present. Discover treasures like the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library in Dallas, home to the only copy of the Declaration of Independence west of the Mississippi River, and the Austin Central Library, recognized by TIME as one of the "25 Buildings That Represent America." Along the way, explore collections and cultural institutions that preserve the stories of Texas and the nation. And these remarkable stops are only the beginning of what the Lone Star State has to offer.
This episode is brought to you in part by Libro.fm. Libro.fm shares profits from your audiobook purchases with your chosen bookstore, partnering with more than 4,000 stores around the world. Shop through our PBSBooks.org/Bookshop or PBSBooks.orgLibroFM affiliate links and a portion of your purchase helps PBS Books continue to create original content you love.
tidd.ly/4g8R8Gd
Explore our website: pbsbooks.org
Subscribe to our newsletter: pbsbooks.org/subscribe
Join the Readers Club: facebook.com/groups/pbsbooksreadersclub
Support us: pbsbooks.org/donate
Find your next book: pbsbooks.org/bookshop
#pbsbooks #pbs #author #bookclub #books #rteadingroadtrip #texas #libraryofcongress
