Elmer Kelton
10 Articles
True Grit
Once upon a time, before the pundits and the politicians hijacked it for their nefarious ends, “cowboy” wasn’t a dirty word. The lifestyle and worldview it suggested was seen as completely in line with the very finest Texas values: hard work, independence, honesty, decency, valor. For the sake of today’s
Twin Wells
Chapter One: “A Stranger Comes to Town”
Bone Dry
From water rationing to stricken crops, the current drought may be as devastating as the one in the early fifties—the time it never rained.
Having a Cow
Beyond Beef blames cattle for the decline of civilization—not to mention famine, pestilence, destruction, and death.
My Favorite Place
What do the city of Lubbock, a defunct restaurant, and a submerged neighborhood have in common? They’re all places in somebody’s heart.
Earth, Rain, Wind, Fire
A wet year followed by a dry one made for one hellacious brush with disaster in the ranchlands of West Texas.
Habits of the Heart
Time-honored Texas rituals.
The Time It Always Rained
The wettest spell in memory has given the people who live in West Texas an unfamiliar topic of conversation.
When the Well Runs Dry
In parts of Texas drought is a steady boarder who may stray but always comes home for supper.