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Not Between Brothers: An Epic Novel of Texas
Remy Fuqua and Kills White Bear stalk each other across the Texas prairie against the backdrop of the battle for Texan independence
Paperback
First published October 1, 1996
35 people are currently reading
251 people want to read
About the author
David Marion Wilkinson
11 books15 followersDavid Marion Wilkinson is a fifth-generation native of Arkansas, born in 1957 in Malvern, Hot Springs County, to a Presbyterian minister and his wife. His struggling family relocated to Houston, where he attended Sharpstown High School and worked every afternoon and weekends for an aging, charismatic, and world-weary golf pro and raconteur who told him wonderful stories of life in East Texas, serving as a bomber pilot during WWII, and his experiences on the professional tour in the era stretching from Byron Nelson to Ben Hogan and Harvey Pennick. David was also mentored by two of his high school English teachers, Margaret Stork and Freda Katz--both of whom encouraged him to write.
Within days of his 18th birthday, David began classes at the University of Texas at Austin, roughnecking offshore in Texas and Louisiana in order to pay for his college expenses. He earned a degree in English literature (BA, 1980) with a creative writing concentration, which first introduced him to classic and contemporary fiction. His undergraduate years also placed him in close proximity to working writers like Michael Mewshaw, David Ohle, Laura Furman, Zulikar Ghose, and Don Graham, among others. 1970s Austin was also home to many of the best Texas writers of the time--like Jan Reid, Edwin "Bud" Shrake, Stephen Harrigan, Gary Cartwright, Shelby Hearon, Billy Lee Brammer, and the ghost of J. Frank Dobie to name only a few. All of these energies combined to attract David's attention, fan the flames of his own ambition, and focus his mind and spirit on the goal of becoming a novelist. By graduation, he knew he wanted to be a writer.
After college graduation, David accepted an assignment in the oil fields of the North Sea and Saudi Arabia--work that took him to remote and hostile locations throughout the world. Those experiences helped to mature him, but, he later said, also cut him off from his middle-class trajectory and prepared him for the isolation of life as a struggling novelist. While overseas, he also read voratiously for the first time in his life, both British and American and even middle-eastern writers, one book after another. This experience would later prove invaluable. As anyone familiar with Larry McMurtry's non-fiction work can attest, one must first hunger to read before they hunger to write. For too long, David had his prerequisites upside down--and the countless idle hours of offshore drilling and long, lonely commutes on boats, trains, and airplanes to Godforsaken places, many not unlike his grandparent's farm in Arkansas, corrected this deficiency.
At the age of 25, David began to write seriously if not professionally. He returned from Saudi Arabia to Austin at age 27, where he married a ballet dancer turned lawyer, and continued to write in conjuction with working a wide variety of horrendous occupations.
Over the next twelve years David wrote four failed novels, racking up well over 300 publisher and literary agent rejections which papered the walls of his garage office, finally publishing his fifth, NOT BETWEEN BROTHERS, in 1996. BROTHERS received award-distinction, was optioned to NBC Studios/Tig Productions for a television mini-series (three years in development before the project was abandoned), and sold 100,000 copies. The 15th Annivesary edition of the book will be released in Spring 2010. The REVIEW OF TEXAS BOOKS said NOT BETWEEN BROTHERS was "simply the best historical novel published about Texas in over a decade."
David went on to publish THE EMPTY QUARTER (contemporary mainstream, 1998), OBLIVION'S ALTAR (historical, 2002), ONE RANGER (with H. Joaquin Jackson, biography/memoir, 2005). His fifth effort, WHERE THE MOUNTAINS ARE THIEVES, is due October 2013. He is currently at work on an historical novel, based on true events, set in Renaissance Italy.
David's work has earned two Spur Awards (and been a finalist for that award twice more), the Violet Crown Award (by Barnes & Noble and the Writers Le
Within days of his 18th birthday, David began classes at the University of Texas at Austin, roughnecking offshore in Texas and Louisiana in order to pay for his college expenses. He earned a degree in English literature (BA, 1980) with a creative writing concentration, which first introduced him to classic and contemporary fiction. His undergraduate years also placed him in close proximity to working writers like Michael Mewshaw, David Ohle, Laura Furman, Zulikar Ghose, and Don Graham, among others. 1970s Austin was also home to many of the best Texas writers of the time--like Jan Reid, Edwin "Bud" Shrake, Stephen Harrigan, Gary Cartwright, Shelby Hearon, Billy Lee Brammer, and the ghost of J. Frank Dobie to name only a few. All of these energies combined to attract David's attention, fan the flames of his own ambition, and focus his mind and spirit on the goal of becoming a novelist. By graduation, he knew he wanted to be a writer.
After college graduation, David accepted an assignment in the oil fields of the North Sea and Saudi Arabia--work that took him to remote and hostile locations throughout the world. Those experiences helped to mature him, but, he later said, also cut him off from his middle-class trajectory and prepared him for the isolation of life as a struggling novelist. While overseas, he also read voratiously for the first time in his life, both British and American and even middle-eastern writers, one book after another. This experience would later prove invaluable. As anyone familiar with Larry McMurtry's non-fiction work can attest, one must first hunger to read before they hunger to write. For too long, David had his prerequisites upside down--and the countless idle hours of offshore drilling and long, lonely commutes on boats, trains, and airplanes to Godforsaken places, many not unlike his grandparent's farm in Arkansas, corrected this deficiency.
At the age of 25, David began to write seriously if not professionally. He returned from Saudi Arabia to Austin at age 27, where he married a ballet dancer turned lawyer, and continued to write in conjuction with working a wide variety of horrendous occupations.
Over the next twelve years David wrote four failed novels, racking up well over 300 publisher and literary agent rejections which papered the walls of his garage office, finally publishing his fifth, NOT BETWEEN BROTHERS, in 1996. BROTHERS received award-distinction, was optioned to NBC Studios/Tig Productions for a television mini-series (three years in development before the project was abandoned), and sold 100,000 copies. The 15th Annivesary edition of the book will be released in Spring 2010. The REVIEW OF TEXAS BOOKS said NOT BETWEEN BROTHERS was "simply the best historical novel published about Texas in over a decade."
David went on to publish THE EMPTY QUARTER (contemporary mainstream, 1998), OBLIVION'S ALTAR (historical, 2002), ONE RANGER (with H. Joaquin Jackson, biography/memoir, 2005). His fifth effort, WHERE THE MOUNTAINS ARE THIEVES, is due October 2013. He is currently at work on an historical novel, based on true events, set in Renaissance Italy.
David's work has earned two Spur Awards (and been a finalist for that award twice more), the Violet Crown Award (by Barnes & Noble and the Writers Le
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
January 22, 2014
I read this book on the recommendation of Rick Perry. I worked for Governor Perry during 2001, and although I don't agree with everything he's done, I have a lot of respect for him, and this was a good recommendation. You don't have to be a Texan to enjoy it, although if you are a Texan, you will probably appreciate it a great deal more than others.
This is not a perfect book by any means. The title is awful. There are coincidences piled on top of coincidences. The entire work is pervaded by a sense of determinism--characters act in such a way as to get them to the end of the book and not as they probably would behave, given their druthers. The frontier dialect is laid on with a trowel. The main characters have absorbed enough loss and grief and pain to choke Edvard Munch.
But it's intensely readable, rich in description, and densely plotted. Wilkinson has authored a sweeping saga that covers Anglo settlement in Texas up until secession. It's worth a read no matter what your political sensibilities.
This is not a perfect book by any means. The title is awful. There are coincidences piled on top of coincidences. The entire work is pervaded by a sense of determinism--characters act in such a way as to get them to the end of the book and not as they probably would behave, given their druthers. The frontier dialect is laid on with a trowel. The main characters have absorbed enough loss and grief and pain to choke Edvard Munch.
But it's intensely readable, rich in description, and densely plotted. Wilkinson has authored a sweeping saga that covers Anglo settlement in Texas up until secession. It's worth a read no matter what your political sensibilities.
July 4, 2016
I don't read a lot of historical-fiction but I couldn't put this one down. My family has been in Texas since before the Alamo so I loved reading about the birth of Texas through the lives of a settler and a Comanche. The author remains very balanced when telling the story from each perspective as well. Can't recommend this enough to anyone interested in Texas history, the last great Indian tribe of the southern plains in the Comanches, and the way of life for the Texas settlers from 1820-1860. Epic story.
April 6, 2009
If you are a Texan or better yet- a Texican... You will love this story. Insightful,accurate and funny, NBTBrothers captures the spirit of early 19th century Texas and the people who made it so.
February 27, 2011
Really long book.
July 29, 2020
A GREAT historical fiction about the history of Texas. This would be great book to read before you read The Son.
August 17, 2007
I read this book years ago when it came out. I kept it so I know I liked it. I picked it up to read again and don't remember it at all! But it is really interesting. I love a good western anyway but the true history of this novel makes it even more entertaining. Great story of Texas. Now I know why I kept it.
May 17, 2016
I decided to abandon this book. It's VERY violent. I realize that life on the Texas plains in the mid-1800's was indeed quite violent. Well, this author doesn't pull any punches in that department. It just became too much and I found myself not wanting to continue. I do, however, reserve the right to pick this book up again at some future date. Maybe.
October 19, 2007
I love books about the founding days of Texas, especially the Indian wars and the war with Mexico. Like McMurtry's Lonesome Dove series, this is a rather violent book, but it gives a great protrayal of the early Texas Rangers.
August 4, 2008
My dad read this and said it rivals Lonesome Dove!!!
This is the best book I have ever read. . . it is better than Lonesome Dove! Incredible epic tale on the Texas frontier . . . great Texas history throughout the book. . .
This is the best book I have ever read. . . it is better than Lonesome Dove! Incredible epic tale on the Texas frontier . . . great Texas history throughout the book. . .
September 29, 2009
This is one of my all time favorite books. It has a great plot (I quibble with the last chapter though - it was a bit of a let down) and brings history alive. I let so many people borrow this book that it is barely hanging together - and everyone that read it loved it.
October 11, 2010
This was a great book! I was crying by the end of the first chapter, and not for the last time. It's an amazing, and exciting story, and a gritty tale of early Texas. I couldn't put it down. I have loaned my copy out to several different friends. A must read for Texans of any flavor.
November 12, 2014
One of the best books I've read - intriguing from page one to the end. A favorite, especially the way it intertwines Texas history and locations, and weaves the characters' lives so vibrantly. Heart-wrenching read - highly recommend.
March 15, 2012
Exceptional. A lot of history, a lot of sadness. A bit too much Spanish for my liking and understanding. Did not make me want to visit either Mexico or Texas. I admire the pioneer spirit, but made me sad for my Native American roots.
June 28, 2018
If you're looking for just one novel about the "epic" Texas of the 19th century, you can't go wrong with this! It's incredibly vivid and really makes you feel like you have a front row seat while you're watching history unfold. An excellent book!
Read
February 29, 2008Great historical novel about 18th Century Texas and Westward expansion.
Read
July 16, 2008I'm currently reading this epic novel of Texas and it is fabulous so far!
July 10, 2013
A favorite in our house!! Gave me a whole new understanding of Texas and a GREAT entertaining read - adventure, suspense, romance, history. This one has it all.
October 14, 2013
I liked this book a lot. The story was compelling, and seeing so many Texas history events from different perspectives was thought provoking.
October 29, 2013
If you love Texas history, a great western or just a great story, read this book!
January 3, 2014
A great book that I read in 2000 when we moved to Texas. It was very educational and had a gripping storyline. Excellent.
February 3, 2014
Excellent!
August 5, 2016
Fictional novel of the birth of Texas based on historical facts - a very involved family's loves, lives and losses. Interesting and engaging
July 19, 2017
I love this book. I read it almost every year.
May 19, 2023
Not Between Brothers, by David Marion Wilkinson, is an immensely enjoyable, epic tale of the birth of the Lone Star State. Who better to tell the tale of Texas than a professor of history at University of Texas in Austin? The story takes off fast, and the action is never far away throughout the book.
After the tragic death of his parents, Remy Fuqua sets off with his cousin, Elijah to make his fortune in the early settlements of what was then part of Mexico. Drawn by the lure of cheap and bountiful land, the pair join thousands of other hardy souls to brave the harsh elements and hostile Indians of the frontier and claim a piece of the land they can call their own. Remy meets and marries the beautiful and spirited Beatriz Amarante, daughter of the rich and proud Don Carlos, thereby making himself a part of the establishment he will soon play a role in overthrowing. Remy and Elijah meet up with Stephen Austin and eventually play roles in the most momentous battles of the era; the battles that established forever Texas Independence - the Alamo, Goliad, and the Battle of San Jacinto.
The story skillfully weaves in all the major players of the era, including Stephen F. Austin, Sam Houston, and Santa Anna, and blends plenty of facts to go with the fiction, drawing in players from every side of the bloody and ever-moving lines of the Texas frontier.
In parallel with Remy's story, the author also tells the story of the fierce and fearless Comanchero warrior, Kills White Bear, who takes the warpath when a plague of small pox brought by the whites decimates his family and tribe.
Never have I learned so much history while reading a single novel. Wilkinson tells the story not just of the tough Celtic-Anglo settlers, but explores as well the proud Tejano culture of pre-independence days, with their peerless horsemanship and vaqueros, from which our own "cowboys" are descended. Wilkinson also pays tribute to the spirit and the courage of the Commanche and Apache cultures, by telling their stories with passion, objectivity, and honesty.
One of my favorite aspects of this story was the authors majestic history of the horse on the southern plains. The massive herds of wild mustangs - some of the most beautiful animals on earth - originally descended from a few leftover stragglers from the Spanish Conquistadors. The author drew heavily from a number of well-known classics of Texas history, including perhaps my favorite, T.R. Ferenbach's, "Lone Star". As a native Houstonian and former Hill Country resident, it always fascinates me reading about the history of my native state. Not Between Brothers is - hands down - the best historical novel I've ever read on the Lone Star State. Winner of the Writers' League of Texas Book Award.
Highly Recommended.
After the tragic death of his parents, Remy Fuqua sets off with his cousin, Elijah to make his fortune in the early settlements of what was then part of Mexico. Drawn by the lure of cheap and bountiful land, the pair join thousands of other hardy souls to brave the harsh elements and hostile Indians of the frontier and claim a piece of the land they can call their own. Remy meets and marries the beautiful and spirited Beatriz Amarante, daughter of the rich and proud Don Carlos, thereby making himself a part of the establishment he will soon play a role in overthrowing. Remy and Elijah meet up with Stephen Austin and eventually play roles in the most momentous battles of the era; the battles that established forever Texas Independence - the Alamo, Goliad, and the Battle of San Jacinto.
The story skillfully weaves in all the major players of the era, including Stephen F. Austin, Sam Houston, and Santa Anna, and blends plenty of facts to go with the fiction, drawing in players from every side of the bloody and ever-moving lines of the Texas frontier.
In parallel with Remy's story, the author also tells the story of the fierce and fearless Comanchero warrior, Kills White Bear, who takes the warpath when a plague of small pox brought by the whites decimates his family and tribe.
Never have I learned so much history while reading a single novel. Wilkinson tells the story not just of the tough Celtic-Anglo settlers, but explores as well the proud Tejano culture of pre-independence days, with their peerless horsemanship and vaqueros, from which our own "cowboys" are descended. Wilkinson also pays tribute to the spirit and the courage of the Commanche and Apache cultures, by telling their stories with passion, objectivity, and honesty.
One of my favorite aspects of this story was the authors majestic history of the horse on the southern plains. The massive herds of wild mustangs - some of the most beautiful animals on earth - originally descended from a few leftover stragglers from the Spanish Conquistadors. The author drew heavily from a number of well-known classics of Texas history, including perhaps my favorite, T.R. Ferenbach's, "Lone Star". As a native Houstonian and former Hill Country resident, it always fascinates me reading about the history of my native state. Not Between Brothers is - hands down - the best historical novel I've ever read on the Lone Star State. Winner of the Writers' League of Texas Book Award.
Highly Recommended.
May 8, 2017
The history was outstanding, as was the story. The writing was also good, but not outstanding. It could have benefitted from more editing--not to shorten the story, but to better portray the characters. I think the nobility and spirituality of the Indians was overstated, as was the brutishness of the Texians and Americans. Also, I would suggest losing the fake drawl the author afflicts the characters with. Either eliminate the drawls altogether or find a better way of writing it. Overall, it was definitely worthwhile and I would recommend it to anyone, most especially those interested in real Texas history as opposed to the many myths that have infected it and been allowed to flourish by our educational system.
December 22, 2017
I only read half of this book, but I give myself credit for reading it. It was like reading two different books. The first part was an epic adventure, as advertised. Then it suddenly became a history textbook, which is fine if that's what you want to read, but it wasn't what I wanted. Perhaps it goes back to being epic and adventurous, but I didn't have the patience to find out.
January 1, 2019
Exciting in parts, tedious in others, and even though it was clearly thoroughly researched, I still don’t really understand Texas and its history. Also I’m as horrified as ever by the greed and contempt that obliterated the indigenous people. Sadly I can’t imagine how it could have been different.
September 6, 2020
Fascinating, great read
This is the third time I’ve read this book and I find new and interesting aspects with every read. My favorite quote from the book comes from the acknowledgment section where he tells his sons the “future is their wilderness”
How apropos in the year 2020!
This is the third time I’ve read this book and I find new and interesting aspects with every read. My favorite quote from the book comes from the acknowledgment section where he tells his sons the “future is their wilderness”
How apropos in the year 2020!
October 29, 2022
I really wanted to like this one but for some reason it just didn't catch fire with me. I'm not really sure what went wrong because it seems well-written. I guess it's one of those books that sounded good but didn't click with me.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews