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Texas Obscurities: Stories of the Peculiar, Exceptional & Nefarious
Some of these quirky true stories might surprise even the most proud Texan. Austin sat the first all-woman state supreme court in the nation in 1925. A utopian colony thrived in Kristenstad during the Great Depression. Bats taken from the Bracken and Ney Caves and Devil's Sinkhole were developed as a secret weapon that vied with the Manhattan Project to shorten World War II. In Slaton in 1922, German priest Joseph M. Keller was kidnapped, tarred and feathered amid anti-German fervor following World War I. Author E.R. Bills offers this collection of trials, tribulations and intrigue that is sure to enrich one's understanding of the biggest state in the Lower Forty-eight.
- GenresNonfictionHistory
160 pages, Paperback
First published October 27, 2013
32 people are currently reading
72 people want to read
About the author
E.R. Bills
24 books21 followersE. R. Bills is a writer from Fort Worth, Texas. He received a BA in Journalism from Southwest Texas State University and does freelance writing for publications around Texas.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 2, 2024
Another small book that helped me pass the time on airplanes and long car rides.
This little reader is what I wanted out of Haunted Austin, so I'm glad it cleared my palate in that regard.
The title tells you exactly what you're getting into, but like others have commented here - don't go into this thinking that it's a completely lighthearted little romp through quirky Texas history.
It goes over the details of multiple massacres, most racially-motivated and all horrific. Some of the details that was documented at the time, in particular the lynching and murder of Henry Smith, made me actually physically recoil.
Some of the 'peculiar' histories are indeed quirky; everything from bats strapped with incendiaries to act as WW2 weapons to an apparent UFO crash and the 'christian burial' of its inhuman inhabitant. [fun fact, a few days after I read that particular chapter I went to the UFO Research Center/Library/Museum in Roswell and that same incident was mentioned - neat]
I actually really appreciate the insight for a lot of the histories, good and bad. While I'm not a native Texan I've lived here for over 15 years and appreciated the history lessons of the things that they don't teach in schools, even if they are lessons that we shouldn't forget to prevent them from happening again in the future.
My only qualm with the book is that in some cases the author chose rather random pictures to coincide with some of the chapters but... the pictures weren't directly related, just barely adjacently related. It bothered me, for example, in a story about a massacre, a random photograph of a skull was used that wasn't even from the massacre itself, but just some poor random victim of a different massacre. I'd much rather there be no pictures at all in those cases.
This little reader is what I wanted out of Haunted Austin, so I'm glad it cleared my palate in that regard.
The title tells you exactly what you're getting into, but like others have commented here - don't go into this thinking that it's a completely lighthearted little romp through quirky Texas history.
It goes over the details of multiple massacres, most racially-motivated and all horrific. Some of the details that was documented at the time, in particular the lynching and murder of Henry Smith, made me actually physically recoil.
Some of the 'peculiar' histories are indeed quirky; everything from bats strapped with incendiaries to act as WW2 weapons to an apparent UFO crash and the 'christian burial' of its inhuman inhabitant. [fun fact, a few days after I read that particular chapter I went to the UFO Research Center/Library/Museum in Roswell and that same incident was mentioned - neat]
I actually really appreciate the insight for a lot of the histories, good and bad. While I'm not a native Texan I've lived here for over 15 years and appreciated the history lessons of the things that they don't teach in schools, even if they are lessons that we shouldn't forget to prevent them from happening again in the future.
My only qualm with the book is that in some cases the author chose rather random pictures to coincide with some of the chapters but... the pictures weren't directly related, just barely adjacently related. It bothered me, for example, in a story about a massacre, a random photograph of a skull was used that wasn't even from the massacre itself, but just some poor random victim of a different massacre. I'd much rather there be no pictures at all in those cases.
June 29, 2024
Weird stuff is bigger in Texas…we’ll note really but it sounds nice, right?
Texas Obscurities: Stories of the Peculiar, Exceptional & Nefarious by E. R. Bills is an anthology of Texas history but also “history” as in things that may have happened but they are colorfully covered leaving some speculation as to the facts of the matter.
I’m a fan of state based or region base oddity anthologies or ghost stories, and this covers a wide swath of Lone Star history from the 16th century all the way up to the 20th century.
There aren’t a lot of cowboy outlaw stories though. Instead you’ll get stories of airships, Indian mounds, lake monsters, and even exploding bats to name a few!!
I liked that it didn’t take the cheesy route of reiterating well known Texas stories but rather focusing on lesser known stuff.
I was surprised that it didn’t cover the Nazi POW camps during World War II, but that story might not have been something they wanted to include.
Texas Obscurities: Stories of the Peculiar, Exceptional & Nefarious by E. R. Bills is an anthology of Texas history but also “history” as in things that may have happened but they are colorfully covered leaving some speculation as to the facts of the matter.
I’m a fan of state based or region base oddity anthologies or ghost stories, and this covers a wide swath of Lone Star history from the 16th century all the way up to the 20th century.
There aren’t a lot of cowboy outlaw stories though. Instead you’ll get stories of airships, Indian mounds, lake monsters, and even exploding bats to name a few!!
I liked that it didn’t take the cheesy route of reiterating well known Texas stories but rather focusing on lesser known stuff.
I was surprised that it didn’t cover the Nazi POW camps during World War II, but that story might not have been something they wanted to include.
January 17, 2024
While there are many interesting and delightful stories, there are also a few which are horrifying. Sharing as a warning to anyone thinking the entire book will be a “light” read. That said, the book provides a unique peek into the Texas past.
June 17, 2017
Some I remembered. Some I had forgotten. Some were new to me. However, I am certain that there are many more stories to be told.
February 17, 2020
Very interesting!
May 1, 2020
Great writing! Fascinating stories!
January 15, 2024
Fun and.informative Texas tales
I enjoyed reading the various curious tales from Texas past. Highly recommend to anyone, not just fans of history. Very well written and fun to read!
I enjoyed reading the various curious tales from Texas past. Highly recommend to anyone, not just fans of history. Very well written and fun to read!
February 19, 2014
As a native Texan, I loved this book. It covered a lot of the stuff they leave out of history classes. And a lot of intriguing places and events I had never heard of. I read it in one sitting.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews