Where the West Begins - (Plains Histories) by Glen Sample Ely (Paperback)

About the Book

Some historians insist that Texas, with its heritage of slavery, segregation, and historic dependence upon cotton, is southern in character. Another group argues that the state is western, as evidenced by its cowboys, cattle drives, mountains, and desert. Still others brand it unique, having won its independence from Mexico during the Texas Revolution and existing as an independent republic for ten years prior to joining the Union. With its immense land area, its diverse environment, cultures, and colorful history, and its larger-than-life legends, Texas does indeed seem like "a whole other country." Throughout its existence, the Lone Star State has juggled a complicated assortment of identities. Its multiple characteristics often confuse observers and scholars--to the point that some ignore it altogether. Award-winning historian Glen Sample Ely seeks to set the record straight. Taking a fresh look at what exactly Texas is and what it is not, his groundbreaking work tackles these thorny questions by examining the tangled and fascinating strands that make up the DNA of Texas's identity.

Book Synopsis

Unsure which of its legacies are true and which to embrace, Texas grapples with an identity crisis. One camp insists that the state's roots in slavery, segregation, and cotton make it southern. Another argues that its Native and ranching history make it western. Outside Texas, southern and western historians who don't know what to make of the state ignore it altogether. In his innovative settling of the question, Glen Sample Ely examines the state's historical DNA, making sense of Lone Star identity west of the hundredth meridian and defining Texas's place in the American West. Focusing on the motives that shape how Texans appropriate their past--from cashing in on tourism to avoiding historical realities--Ely reveals the inner workings of a multiplicity of Texas identities.