Nevin’s History: A Novel of Texas

by Jim Sanderson

"Jim Sanderson has created a terrific story around a memorably roguish central character. . . . Nevin's History is a good, good-humored story, and Jim Sanderson is a writer to watch."—Dallas Morning News "This novel of Borderlands violence and romance is an enjoyable read for anyone, especially those interested in Texana. . . . The book's best character development is Nevin, who reveals that even a professed coward with scruples can display violence and even bravery when his own life is in the balance."—Southwestern Historical Quarterly "[An] exciting novel of those who fought to bring civilization to the southwest."—Susan Zabolotny, The Historical Novels Review "A delightful and instructive panorama of South Texas's late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century past. . . .An epic, exciting story."—Tom Pilkington, Tarleton State University The turbulent lower Rio Grande valley of the 1870s is the backdrop of this epic historical novel of romance, violence, and the struggle for civilization on the frontier. Against that backdrop protagonist Andrew Nevin, newspaper reporter, Civil War draft dodger, informer, and self-professed coward, tells a story of three legendary figures: Texas Rangers John “Rip” Ford and Lee H. McNelly and the bandit mayor of Matamoros, Juan Cortina. In 1875, cattle theft and savage retribution along the Rio Grande are approaching open warfare. The governor of Texas has appointed thirty-two-year-old consumptive McNelly to lead a special force of Rangers to end the banditry. Pursuing his goal, McNelly twice invades Mexico, with predictably violent results. Fifty-year-old Cortina, who lost his American citizenship after a war with his fellow Texans in the late 1850s, is rumored to be behind the rustling. Following these tensions is Rip Ford, who has retired to Brownsville after a long career through the Mexican and Civil Wars and fighting Comanches. Hoping to avert war with Mexico, Ford assigns Nevin, his nephew, to join McNelly’s force and report back to him. Suspected by everyone, Nevin treads an uncomfortably fine line, taking solace in the love of two women, Mexican courtesan Catalina Taracón, and Jessie Ford, Rip’s young wife. When events force Nevin to leave Brownsville and begin a new life in San Antonio as a saloon owner, theater critic, and reputed “nancy,” Rip and Jessie Ford and McNelly’s Rangers continue to influence his life, as do gunslingers and San Antonio citizens. In attempting to redeem himself by telling the history of the border wars, Nevin also chronicles the growth of San Antonio and the influence of civilization on South Texas at the end of one century and the beginning of another.

328 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2004

About the author

I have always been nervous about claiming to be a writer. I can't depend upon writing to eat. So to eat, I teach. Students sometimes ask me if I am a "famous arthur." I know that I am not a famous arthur.

I have collected a lot labels. I started out as a short story writer, so I have three collections of short fiction. I also started writing essays because I thought that they were easy. So I have an essay collection. I was sort of a "shade tree" sociologist in this collection.

I won a contest for a literary novel about the southwestern U.S. When the novel came out, my editor listed it as a mystery. So I started writing mysteries and have a mystery series with the same characters running around in them. Brash Books as republished three of them. I like being a republished writer.

I wrote a historical novel, which had been bubbling around in my head since I was in the fourth grade. The novel could also be a Western.

I think that I can claim that I am a Texas writer. And I don't mind being labelled a Texas writer. Mostly, because if you draw a line from Lubbock to Beaumont, I've written about parts of Texas south of that line.

One critic said that I write "grit lit.," and put me in some good company. Someone said that I wrote southwestern neo-noir.

So check out a few of my books and label me as you like. I'll probably welcome the label. However, I know that I am not a "famous arthur."