Texas: A World in Itself

Texas: A World in Itself is considered to be one of the most unusual books about Texas ever published. George Sessions Perry's unique style could make the reader think that they too are apart of the defense of the Alamo or friends with the myriad of figures who are presented within the confines of this book. This style, in the end, brings a certain amount of authenticity to the book.

In the introduction of this book, Perry tells of a Yankee family, the Rosengrens, who move to San Antonio to set up a bookshop. Despite their slim chance of success, this family slowly came to consider Texas their home, finding more friends there than they ever had anywhere else. By Mr. Perry's account, this is nothing short of a miracle, which can only happen in Texas, because "the Rosengrens don't belong to any clubs and the people in San Antonio don't like books."

This work is an excellent informal guide to the state in which the author was born and raised. With enchanting stories, the book introduces the reader to the history, traditions, and folklore of Texas. Due to Perry's many trips to other cities, states, and countries, he has gained a worldly perspective of his home state. These experiences allow him to give the reader a picture of Texas that a nonnative can easily understand and a native could fondly enjoy.

George Sessions Perry was born May 5, 1910, in Rockdale, Texas. In 1933, he married Claire Hodges of Beaumont. A prolific writer, he published a long line of fiction and nonfiction stories and novels, many of which were based on people and events from his hometown. In World War II, as a correspondent, Perry wrote first-hand accounts of the war for the prestigious newspapers the New Yorker and the Saturday Evening Post. Perry won several major awards, including the 1941 National Book Award. George Perry died in Connecticut in 1956 and was buried in Rockdale in February of the following year.