LETTERS FROM TEXAS, 2021-2023

A veteran Texas journalist and political commentator compiles his recent columns and editorials in this excoriating anthology.

“Texas is now a joke,” writes Bills, who laments that the Lone Star State has become “synonymous with shameless cretins, imbeciles, sexist morons, or chauvinist losers.” As a once-proud Texan, the author recalls that it was not so long ago that the state “used to be the exception” in the South, having elected a liberal Democratic governor (Ann Richards) and the nation’s first Black congresswoman from the South (Barbara Jordan). As long ago as 1925, Texas boasted the first state Supreme Court composed entirely of women. But the state that produced national treasures from Willie Nelson and Janis Joplin to Walter Cronkite and Dan Rather is now, per Bills, “a laughingstock,” best known for its reactionary politicians like Ted Cruz, John Cornyn, and Greg Abbott. A seasoned freelance journalist, the author has dedicated much of his recent writing career to speaking out against the direction his state has taken through editorials and columns published in the Fort Worth Weekly and other local periodicals. In this collection of 25 pieces, mostly written since 2021, he tackles Texas’ “despicable and dangerous” political climate, which, he observes, has led the nation in policies that include government-mandated censorship of libraries, a statewide ban on abortion (even for victims of sexual assault), and a xenophobic immigration policy. As the author of multiple books on Texas history and politics, Bills is a keen observer of state government and supports his well-argued editorials with more than 50 research endnotes. Taken individually, each chapter is consistently thought provoking, providing a concise, effective, and alarming introduction to Texas politics—but the work could have used a more thoughtful structure. While loosely organized by theme, the chapters often jump timelines and topics. Bills’ engaging writing style blends accessibility with learned analysis, and his text is accompanied by full-color photographs, historical paintings, and other images. An appendix featuring the manifesto of El Paso mass shooter Patrick Crusius offers a frightening reflection on the link between rhetorical and physical violence.

A compelling, if disjointed, survey of contemporary Texas politics.