James Michener is truly a master when it comes to writing historical fiction. The history unveiled in this book is simply captivating. Just like in his other works such as Hawaii, Centennial, and Mexico, Michener creates characters in the modern era who have ancestors that lived through various historical periods of the place in question. In this case, it's Texas. Through the story, I gained a wealth of knowledge about the geography, topography, and natural history of Texas. It also shed light on many aspects of the Comanche that I was previously ignorant of.

However, there were several elements in this novel that I found rather unappealing. The racism, the idea of White Christian Supremacy, the hypocrisy within organized religion and politics - all these left a bad taste in my mouth. I couldn't help but be put off by the attitude that being from Texas somehow makes one a superior person. Additionally, the glorification of high school football and cheerleading at the expense of scholastics and the arts was a real annoyance. It seems that Texas was given an undue emphasis on these things when they are not exclusive to the state.

When I was 14 years old, my family was considering relocating either to Houston or Seattle. I am extremely grateful that we ultimately ended up in the Northwest.

Despite its flaws, this book was still a great read and highly entertaining. It managed to keep me engaged from start to finish, and I would recommend it to anyone interested in historical fiction with a touch of controversy.

What on earth possessed me to listen to this audiobook?

Why did I stubbornly stick with it?

The answers to these questions are as murky and illogical as the convoluted history of the state of Texas.

If you're on the hunt for a Texas-sized serving of racial and gender-based tropes, then look no further, for this is precisely the book for you.

It's as if the author took every cliché and stereotype related to race and gender and mashed them together into one rather unappetizing concoction.

The story seems to unfold in a predictable manner, with characters conforming to the most basic and tired archetypes.

Yet, despite its numerous flaws, there was something about it that kept me listening, perhaps out of a morbid curiosity to see just how far it would go in perpetuating these tired tropes.

Michener's "Texas" was penned in 1985. It is structured around a series of assemblies where an academic, Dr. Travis Barlow, and several prominent Texans of significant lineage come together. Their aim is to publish a recommendation on how Texas history should be taught in Texas schools, with the intention of raising a generation of Texans who value their state's heritage.

During their panel discussions, experts are invited to speak, and the history of Texas unfolds in Michener's typical style, featuring a blend of real and fictional characters.

The chapters cover a wide range of topics, including Spanish explorers in the 1500s, Spanish missions in the 1700s, the melting pot of South Texas in the 1700s, settlers from Tennessee and Kentucky in Southeast Texas in the early 1800s, the influx of criminals and the Protestant roots in the early 1800s, the Alamo and other Mexico/US battles in the 1830s, Texas as an independent nation, the Comanche, and German immigrants in the 1840s, the Texas Rangers and the Mexican War in the 1840s, cotton and the slave issue during the Civil War in the 1850s and 1860s, the conflict between the Comanche and settlers and the Buffalo Soldiers in the 1870s, cattle ranching in the 1880s and 1890s, cotton, Protestant churches, the Ku Klux Klan, oil, and high school football in the 1900s - 1920s, Mexican immigrants, county pride, quail hunting, and real estate investment in the 1930s - 1960s, and multi-market losses, the Mexican-American community in South Texas, and higher education in the 1980s.

I have ranked the Michener novels I've read based on my enjoyment. Centennial (Colorado) tops the list, followed by Mexico, Tales of the South Pacific, The Covenant, Alaska, Chesapeake, and then Texas.

This is also the ranking by Goodreads readers, with Centennial in the first place, Chesapeake and The Covenant tied for the second place, Alaska in the fourth place, Texas in the fifth place, Tales of the South Pacific in the sixth place, and Mexico in the seventh place.

The beginning of this story is unreadably boring.

It fails to capture the reader's attention right from the start.

To make matters worse, the characters are unrecognizable.

There is no clear personality or identity assigned to them, making it difficult for the reader to form any sort of connection.

Furthermore, the dialogue is undifferentiated.

All the characters seem to speak in the same monotone voice, lacking any real emotion or individuality.

This lack of distinctiveness in the dialogue only serves to further dull the overall reading experience.

As a result, the story fails to engage the reader and leaves them feeling uninterested and disappointed.

It is clear that significant improvements are needed in these areas to make the story more appealing and enjoyable.

Perhaps a more interesting and engaging beginning, more developed and recognizable characters, and more differentiated dialogue would help to bring this story to life and capture the reader's imagination.