Hey everyone, and welcome back… This week, we’re happy to sit down with author and political commentator David Griscom to discuss his debut book, The Myth of Red Texas: Cowboys, Populism, and Class War in the Radical South.

There is a commonly held belief that conservatism and rugged individualism run through the veins of Texas. In an innate sort of way like the tributaries of the Guadalupe, the Frio, and the Rio Grande. Griscom's book looks closer at the stories that often sit unexamined, and finds that the reality of Texas political history is much more complicated. Being in the business of under-explored Texas history, we were all ears.

We discuss: the myth of the cowboy, the barbed wire fence-cutting wars, early Populist encampments, former rodeo clowns with left leaning convictions, Christian socialism, the state of Texas today, and more 🌠

The book contains so much interesting storytelling and analysis beyond what we were able to speak about in the episode. Consider picking up a copy if you’re interested to read more.

Link: https://orbooks.com/catalog/the-myth-of-red-texas/

And of course, thank you to @davidgriscom for talking with us!