‘Mr. Texas’ Rides off into the Sunset: A Lawrence Wright Interview
If you live in Texas, it can be tough to imagine a “lighthearted take” on our state’s politics. But somehow Lawrence Wright has pulled it off with his latest, ‘Mr. Texas.’ The vaunted author has penned 11 books, including ‘Going Clear: Scientology,’ ‘Hollywood,’ ‘The Plague Year,’ and the one which earned for him a Pulitzer: ‘The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11.’ Check out Brittany LeJeune’s (Deep South) interview with Wright about this book, which, by the way, makes a lovely holiday gift. – Editor
An unexpected meeting between Austin lobbyist L.D. Sparks and cattle rancher Sonny Lamb is the beginning of author and New Yorker magazine writer Lawrence Wright‘s entertaining story about Texas politics. Inexperienced Texas cowboy Sonny must learn how to navigate the legislature in Texas, and the lovable character wins the hearts of everyone at the capitol.
Mr. Texas ties together issues that the citizens of the state currently face, such as drought and border control, as the officeholders fight partisan divides and jostle for position. The amusing and ironic events that take place as Sonny runs for election and wins with a narrow victory are written in a humorous context.
In addition to his success as an author, Wright is a screenwriter, playwright, and staff writer for The New Yorker magazine. Brittany LeJeune interviewed him over Zoom about the rollercoaster ride of getting Mr. Texas to book form, his hope for his home state, and the future of his novel.
