Life in Texas - Texas - page 721

Culture
Reading & Writing
Writing has deep roots in Texas. In the 1880s, famed short-story writer William Sidney
Porter, whose pen name was O Henry, lived and wrote in a Victorian cottage in Austin
that's now the O Henry Museum. Born in 1890, Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Katherine
Anne Porter, who grew up in Kyle, won critical acclaim for her penetrating short stories.
There are hundreds of notable Texas writers, and more are coming up all the time. We've
listed a sampling of the best that Texas has to offer to give you an overview. An honorable
mention goes to vampire author Anne Rice, who lived in Texas for a time.
Larry McMurtry (1936-) The Wichita Falls-born icon whose many Texas-set books and screenplays have entered into
the realm of legend. Lonesome Dove, The Last Picture Show and Terms of Endearment are just a few of his novels.
Sandra Cisneros (1954-) A San Antonio resident who grew up straddling the Mexican-American cultural line. Her first
novel, House on Mango Street , is a must-read.
James A Mitchner (1907-1997) A Texas transplant, Mitchner is known for his epic fictionalized histories of regions and
countries, including, of course, Texas.
Molly Ivins (1944-2007) Nobody beat syndicated columnist Molly Ivins on pure acerbic wit and the exposure of Texisms
big and small. Her books were even better; start with Molly Ivins Can't Say That, Can She?
Cormac McCarthy (1933-) El Paso-born McCarthy has written numerous brooding, dark and masterfully crafted nov-
els. All the Pretty Horses won the US national book award.
Mary Karr (1955-) Known for her best-selling, shoot-from-the-hip memoir The Liar's Club , which brought her gritty
Texas girlhood to vivid life. Cherry was the follow-up.
James Lee Burke (1936-) Best known for his series of Dave Robicheaux detective novels, such as Purple Cane Road .
Burke also wrote Two for Texas , a historical novel covering the Texas War for Independence.
Rick Riordan (1964-) His page-turning thrillers have wonderfully twisted plots; look for The Devil Went Down to
Austin , The Last King of Texas or The Widower's Two-Step .
The Searchers (directed by John Ford; 1956) is one of the finest roles for John Wayne - the ultimate silver-
screen cowboy. A pioneer family is murdered on their Texas ranch, and their daughter Natalie Wood is kid-
napped, setting off a decade-long search by her uncle, the Duke.
On the Big & Little Screen
Hundreds and hundreds of films have been shot in Texas, including cult favorites Dazed
and Confused and Office Space , and the original slasher flick, Texas Chainsaw Massacre .