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The Great Oklahoma Swindle: Race, Religion, and Lies in America's Weirdest State
Look down as you buzz across America, and Oklahoma looks like another “flyover state.” A closer inspection, however, reveals one of the most tragic, fascinating, and unpredictable places in the United States. Over the span of a century, Oklahoma gave birth to movements for an African American homeland, a vibrant Socialist Party, armed rebellions of radical farmers, and an insurrection by a man called Crazy Snake. In the same era, the state saw numerous oil booms, one of which transformed the small town of Tulsa into the “oil capital of the world.” Add to the chaos one of the nation’s worst episodes of racial violence, a statewide takeover by the Ku Klux Klan, and the rise of a paranoid far-right agenda by a fundamentalist preacher named Billy James Hargis and you have the recipe for America’s most paradoxical state. Far from being a placid place in the heart of Flyover Country, Oklahoma has been a laboratory for all kinds of social, political, and artistic movements, producing a singular list of weirdos, geniuses, and villains.
In The Great Oklahoma Swindle Russell Cobb tells the story of a state rich in natural resources and artistic talent, yet near the bottom in education and social welfare. Raised in Tulsa, Cobb engages Oklahomans across the boundaries of race and class to hear their troubles, anxieties, and aspirations and delves deep to understand their contradictory and often stridently independent attitudes. Interweaving memoir, social commentary, and sometimes surprising research around the themes of race, religion, and politics, Cobb presents an insightful portrait that will make you rethink everything you thought you knew about the American Heartland.
In The Great Oklahoma Swindle Russell Cobb tells the story of a state rich in natural resources and artistic talent, yet near the bottom in education and social welfare. Raised in Tulsa, Cobb engages Oklahomans across the boundaries of race and class to hear their troubles, anxieties, and aspirations and delves deep to understand their contradictory and often stridently independent attitudes. Interweaving memoir, social commentary, and sometimes surprising research around the themes of race, religion, and politics, Cobb presents an insightful portrait that will make you rethink everything you thought you knew about the American Heartland.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2020
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January 18, 2024
Buckle of the Bible Belt
“From the massive legalized theft of Native land in the early twentieth century, to a decades-long conspiracy of silence about one of the country’s worst acts of racial violence, to a former governor who believes a statewide day of Christian prayer is a solution for social problems and a former attorney general who continues to deny the reality of climate change, the state of Oklahoma was built and is still maintained on a bedrock of lies.”
In spite of the fact that Oklahoma consistently ranks near the worst in the quality of public education, teacher salaries, violent crime, teenage pregnancy, suicide, adult obesity, child obesity, criminal incarcerations, and criminal executions, Russell Cobb still finds a few slivers of optimism buried within the Sooner State’s buttload of embarrassing statistics. I’m not going to dwell on the positives here because (#1) spoiler alert! and (#2) they might prompt a spike in secular immigration and I kinda like being the lone, vegetarian, liberal, closeted-atheist lurking in this theocratic, MAGA-capped, petro-christian monoculture. Mum’s the word.
“From the massive legalized theft of Native land in the early twentieth century, to a decades-long conspiracy of silence about one of the country’s worst acts of racial violence, to a former governor who believes a statewide day of Christian prayer is a solution for social problems and a former attorney general who continues to deny the reality of climate change, the state of Oklahoma was built and is still maintained on a bedrock of lies.”
In spite of the fact that Oklahoma consistently ranks near the worst in the quality of public education, teacher salaries, violent crime, teenage pregnancy, suicide, adult obesity, child obesity, criminal incarcerations, and criminal executions, Russell Cobb still finds a few slivers of optimism buried within the Sooner State’s buttload of embarrassing statistics. I’m not going to dwell on the positives here because (#1) spoiler alert! and (#2) they might prompt a spike in secular immigration and I kinda like being the lone, vegetarian, liberal, closeted-atheist lurking in this theocratic, MAGA-capped, petro-christian monoculture. Mum’s the word.
December 16, 2022
I would classify this as memoir AND nonfiction. Cobb grounds all of his stories about Oklahoma (particularly the Tulsa area) on his own childhood and family stories. Each chapter begins with a memory or a story Cobb was told, and then expands to Oklahoma's complicated history.
We moved here in 1979, when the 'history' (read White) of the state was only a few generations old. All of the thieving, the massacres, the Boomering and Soonering was glossed over with the broad brush of white, Christian, colonialism.
Cobb comes back and adds the details, the ugly details of land run and the discovery of oil and the "Race Riot" that he didn't even learn about until he was an adult. Even though Oklahoma History is a required course for high school students, the topics are carefully selected and curated.
Pesky details of how the land was given to the Indian Nations who were forcibly relocated to this place, of how there was a thriving African American presence, in Tulsa, and in many small towns, of the strong Jewish presence in the state, of the Osage atrocities, the Tulsa Race Massacre (calling it a 'riot' allowed the insurance companies to deny claims), those details were omitted in the grand story of Petro-Christian lore...and we are all the poorer for it.
Cobb digs into our statehood, and the first Senate Bill passed and signed...to impose Jim Crow laws on our freedmen who settled in OK. He explores the complicated relationship with the Nations who had settled this territory long before any whites had heard of it...Whites blatantly stole land rights from Natives, with the help of judges who simply declared the Tribal members to be 'incompetent', in need of a guardian who would (naturally) control all the oil rights, while also claiming to be of Native blood. He tells Elizabeth Warren's story of 'family lore,' and of Iron-Eyes Cody...whose father was a Sicilian, NOT an Indian. He studies our complicated relationship with evangelicalism, and also our Weird..Oral Roberts and Gary Busey. Anita Bryant and Leon Russell. He takes a lovely detour thru the life and creations of Bruce Goff, a talented renegade architect whose mid-20th century contributions to OK Weird are almost all lost to history. He takes on Tulsa's Gathering Space and the uncomfortable relationship between public space and private money. He brings in The Outsiders, and the Crutchfield neighborhood in Tulsa.
OK was founded by Socialists...and is now ruled by Christian-Petro leaders who continue to swindle us in every way.
Cobb discusses the teacher walkout of 2018, and makes observations that we know now were too optimistic...we did not see a wave of common sense, of moderation, in the last few elections...we are firmly entrenched in Red America, with all the baggage of poor health outcomes, shorter life-expectancy, repressive religious legislation, and underfunded schools.
The swindle continues.
We moved here in 1979, when the 'history' (read White) of the state was only a few generations old. All of the thieving, the massacres, the Boomering and Soonering was glossed over with the broad brush of white, Christian, colonialism.
Cobb comes back and adds the details, the ugly details of land run and the discovery of oil and the "Race Riot" that he didn't even learn about until he was an adult. Even though Oklahoma History is a required course for high school students, the topics are carefully selected and curated.
Pesky details of how the land was given to the Indian Nations who were forcibly relocated to this place, of how there was a thriving African American presence, in Tulsa, and in many small towns, of the strong Jewish presence in the state, of the Osage atrocities, the Tulsa Race Massacre (calling it a 'riot' allowed the insurance companies to deny claims), those details were omitted in the grand story of Petro-Christian lore...and we are all the poorer for it.
Cobb digs into our statehood, and the first Senate Bill passed and signed...to impose Jim Crow laws on our freedmen who settled in OK. He explores the complicated relationship with the Nations who had settled this territory long before any whites had heard of it...Whites blatantly stole land rights from Natives, with the help of judges who simply declared the Tribal members to be 'incompetent', in need of a guardian who would (naturally) control all the oil rights, while also claiming to be of Native blood. He tells Elizabeth Warren's story of 'family lore,' and of Iron-Eyes Cody...whose father was a Sicilian, NOT an Indian. He studies our complicated relationship with evangelicalism, and also our Weird..Oral Roberts and Gary Busey. Anita Bryant and Leon Russell. He takes a lovely detour thru the life and creations of Bruce Goff, a talented renegade architect whose mid-20th century contributions to OK Weird are almost all lost to history. He takes on Tulsa's Gathering Space and the uncomfortable relationship between public space and private money. He brings in The Outsiders, and the Crutchfield neighborhood in Tulsa.
OK was founded by Socialists...and is now ruled by Christian-Petro leaders who continue to swindle us in every way.
Cobb discusses the teacher walkout of 2018, and makes observations that we know now were too optimistic...we did not see a wave of common sense, of moderation, in the last few elections...we are firmly entrenched in Red America, with all the baggage of poor health outcomes, shorter life-expectancy, repressive religious legislation, and underfunded schools.
The swindle continues.
July 2, 2020
Is Oklahoma an American microcosm or an American exception?
The “swindle” at hand is the legalized theft of land, held up by a combination of oil money, Christianity (dubbed petro-Christians), and the political/journalism class. The result is a state mired in dysfunction yet flush with experimentation.
At times redundant, and a collection of essays that have a vignette feel, this volume is good. The arguments are solid, but not always air tight. And, while I appreciate the author’s connection with Tulsa, I really wish that more of Oklahoma had more of a treatment.
I rate this work so highly because it has changed the way I view my home. And that is worthy of celebration and commendation.
The “swindle” at hand is the legalized theft of land, held up by a combination of oil money, Christianity (dubbed petro-Christians), and the political/journalism class. The result is a state mired in dysfunction yet flush with experimentation.
At times redundant, and a collection of essays that have a vignette feel, this volume is good. The arguments are solid, but not always air tight. And, while I appreciate the author’s connection with Tulsa, I really wish that more of Oklahoma had more of a treatment.
I rate this work so highly because it has changed the way I view my home. And that is worthy of celebration and commendation.
November 14, 2023
** Let me push back down the bile the book left sitting in my mouth so that I can write this review **
In full disclosure I was born and raised in Oklahoma and spent my teen years in Tulsa. I am a Christian (but not a Republican) and I have ties to TCF and GKFF — so some of my ire about the book may come from personal bias.
I would like to congratulate the author on achieving the 7th level of enlightenment and being able to look back on his former home town to explain why we are all “dumb Okies.”
It’s a shame because I think the author could have had some good points. Unfortunately they were lost amongst his odd chapter structures that repeated information already covered (did he expect people would only read one chapter without the whole?) and his constant put down of all things Oklahoma.
If you’re looking for a book that talks about Oklahoma history (the good, the bad, and the ugly) - don’t pick this one. Go with Boomtown. It’s far and away better.
In full disclosure I was born and raised in Oklahoma and spent my teen years in Tulsa. I am a Christian (but not a Republican) and I have ties to TCF and GKFF — so some of my ire about the book may come from personal bias.
I would like to congratulate the author on achieving the 7th level of enlightenment and being able to look back on his former home town to explain why we are all “dumb Okies.”
It’s a shame because I think the author could have had some good points. Unfortunately they were lost amongst his odd chapter structures that repeated information already covered (did he expect people would only read one chapter without the whole?) and his constant put down of all things Oklahoma.
If you’re looking for a book that talks about Oklahoma history (the good, the bad, and the ugly) - don’t pick this one. Go with Boomtown. It’s far and away better.
October 12, 2020
taken from essays in "this land" newspaper, but expanded and more personal and universal. looks in detail at okla roots of ripping off Indians, subjugation of blacks, fooling of poor and enriching the avarice ists and hypocrites. praise Jesus too.
July 26, 2020
Interesting compilations if the author’s observations on Oklahoma and its underbelly. Not particularly well written but provocative.
July 20, 2023
rec'd by Janice in page-turners book club at local library in white Yukon...
Excellent. Enthralling. I admit, I've only been paying attention to OK history & culture since about the time this book was getting edited for publication, but almost everything he says rings true. I'm willing to admit that a couple of things need to be fact-checked, and of course there's the bias Cobb admits to. But the history is sound; this is *not* a silly trivia sort of book that one might think of when one sees the title 'weird' in the title.
Much of the thesis is summed up in the first dozen or two pages. Please read at least the sample avl. at Amazon. And please seriously consider reading the rest, if you care at all about understanding the history of the heartland of America. OK 'contains multitudes' and is both microcosm of and outsider to the USA.
Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI
Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre
The Outsiders
Oral Roberts University
*The Gathering Place* - a 'commons' city park in Tulsa
And for my Canadian friends, "The Black One Thousand."
Excellent. Enthralling. I admit, I've only been paying attention to OK history & culture since about the time this book was getting edited for publication, but almost everything he says rings true. I'm willing to admit that a couple of things need to be fact-checked, and of course there's the bias Cobb admits to. But the history is sound; this is *not* a silly trivia sort of book that one might think of when one sees the title 'weird' in the title.
Much of the thesis is summed up in the first dozen or two pages. Please read at least the sample avl. at Amazon. And please seriously consider reading the rest, if you care at all about understanding the history of the heartland of America. OK 'contains multitudes' and is both microcosm of and outsider to the USA.
Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI
Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre
The Outsiders
Oral Roberts University
*The Gathering Place* - a 'commons' city park in Tulsa
And for my Canadian friends, "The Black One Thousand."
May 8, 2021
I ended up in Oklahoma because, being in Texas as tourists, we had a week to spare and decided to visit the most random place around: OK. It was weird. Although I couldn’t quite explain what exactly puzzled me about the place, it was certainly weird.
So I came upon this book and did not hesitate to buy it.
It’s an interesting book, it definitely shed some light on my confusion towards Okies and the state. Learned quite a few historic facts which I was completely ignorant about. The chapter on the Greenwood race massacre is vital, not only as registry of what happened but also the stance that Cobb takes on the politics of wording: massacre vs. riot.
Nonetheless its a book primarily about Tulsa, and then the rest of the State. The last chapter on Gathering Place was way too extensive, I would have opted to use that space for writing about things in the rest of OK other than Tulsa history. In other words, it’s NOT a book about the State.
So I came upon this book and did not hesitate to buy it.
It’s an interesting book, it definitely shed some light on my confusion towards Okies and the state. Learned quite a few historic facts which I was completely ignorant about. The chapter on the Greenwood race massacre is vital, not only as registry of what happened but also the stance that Cobb takes on the politics of wording: massacre vs. riot.
Nonetheless its a book primarily about Tulsa, and then the rest of the State. The last chapter on Gathering Place was way too extensive, I would have opted to use that space for writing about things in the rest of OK other than Tulsa history. In other words, it’s NOT a book about the State.
May 16, 2023
This should really be called The Great Tulsa Swindle as 90% of the book focused on Tulsa.
May 10, 2024
Oklahoma is to sociology
as Australia is to zoology
-George Milburn
I “came of age” in Oklahoma in the mid to late 1970’s and I understand where Cobb is coming from, (even though Cobb is 15 years younger than me). This books is part history, part memoir, part his bespoke brand of Okie sociology, and a big part is “venting”. In the end the guy is pretty pissed at how messed up Oklahoma is.
I get it, and part of his venting is about how Native American’s and Blacks were not only swindled (hence the title) but murdered to the point it might be called ethnic cleansing. Of course some of this is more known about since the focus on the The Tulsa race massacre and the book and movie, Killers of the Flower Moon.
As a side note I can confirm as a teenager I was clueless about past racial attacks. And was shocked when on a bike ride in the 70’s around through some small Oklahoma towns and my riding companion told me the town we just rode through was once full of black people but one night in the ‘20s a big groups of whites came through the town forcing all the black people out of town (maybe killing as the went?). I don’t remember the town, but this corroborates Cobb’s ignorance of such things from his childhood.
He felt, like I did, that Oklahoma, specifically white Oklahoma, is boring and milquetoast. And then we discover the Native American swindle and the horrible racial violence since before the start of the state. So he is angry about the history and angry that his ancestors where participants in the injustice. Really angry.
He takes the selfishness of the past and ties it into the Oklahoma examples of current conservative campaign to de-fund any remaining social safetynet, but that is pretty much all over the country. There is also stuff about Okie televangelists and hoo-boy has he never been to Texas.
Yes he has been to Texas and does make an interesting point...
I used to scoff at the ubiquitous “Keep Austin Weird” bumper stickers around town. I grew up in a place where the world’s largest bronze sculpture, two hands touching in prayer, 150
This is a state that hosts the only national tournament for noodling (hand-fishing for catfish) and boasts some of the longest running rattlesnake roundups in the nation. We are weird without the bluster of Austin or the hipster pretentiousness of Portland. 151
Weirdness in Tulsa is not part of a branding image as it is in Austin but a natural product of a place that formed from the contradictions of greed, utopian visions, artistic risk-takers, and swindling money-makers. 167
But then again, this is just his gut feeling, he never tracks down what what other non-hiptsters weirdos do across the country.
Yes there are many strange things and strange people in Oklahoma, but he is so pissed off about growing up in Oklahoma he misses how strange and messed up the rest of the country is.
From a technical point it sometimes felt more like a therapy project than journalism. And I did notice a few times phrases repeated like he was cutting and pasting articles together. Not horrible, but since he teaches writing for a living maybe it should feel a little more put together. OK, OK, who am I to criticize, when this review is a bit of a jumbled mess? Well, that is kinda the whole purpose of Goodreads, so there!
Still, I enjoyed the book although part of that is because it was a nostalgic read.
Authors and people to remember
Angie Debo
Jerald C. Walker, a Cherokee historian
Tuckabache or Crazy Snake.
Scott Ellsworth’s Death in a Promised Land.
George Milburn
Red Dirt Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
Okie writer Rilla Askew
as Australia is to zoology
-George Milburn
I “came of age” in Oklahoma in the mid to late 1970’s and I understand where Cobb is coming from, (even though Cobb is 15 years younger than me). This books is part history, part memoir, part his bespoke brand of Okie sociology, and a big part is “venting”. In the end the guy is pretty pissed at how messed up Oklahoma is.
I get it, and part of his venting is about how Native American’s and Blacks were not only swindled (hence the title) but murdered to the point it might be called ethnic cleansing. Of course some of this is more known about since the focus on the The Tulsa race massacre and the book and movie, Killers of the Flower Moon.
As a side note I can confirm as a teenager I was clueless about past racial attacks. And was shocked when on a bike ride in the 70’s around through some small Oklahoma towns and my riding companion told me the town we just rode through was once full of black people but one night in the ‘20s a big groups of whites came through the town forcing all the black people out of town (maybe killing as the went?). I don’t remember the town, but this corroborates Cobb’s ignorance of such things from his childhood.
He felt, like I did, that Oklahoma, specifically white Oklahoma, is boring and milquetoast. And then we discover the Native American swindle and the horrible racial violence since before the start of the state. So he is angry about the history and angry that his ancestors where participants in the injustice. Really angry.
He takes the selfishness of the past and ties it into the Oklahoma examples of current conservative campaign to de-fund any remaining social safetynet, but that is pretty much all over the country. There is also stuff about Okie televangelists and hoo-boy has he never been to Texas.
Yes he has been to Texas and does make an interesting point...
I used to scoff at the ubiquitous “Keep Austin Weird” bumper stickers around town. I grew up in a place where the world’s largest bronze sculpture, two hands touching in prayer, 150
This is a state that hosts the only national tournament for noodling (hand-fishing for catfish) and boasts some of the longest running rattlesnake roundups in the nation. We are weird without the bluster of Austin or the hipster pretentiousness of Portland. 151
Weirdness in Tulsa is not part of a branding image as it is in Austin but a natural product of a place that formed from the contradictions of greed, utopian visions, artistic risk-takers, and swindling money-makers. 167
But then again, this is just his gut feeling, he never tracks down what what other non-hiptsters weirdos do across the country.
Yes there are many strange things and strange people in Oklahoma, but he is so pissed off about growing up in Oklahoma he misses how strange and messed up the rest of the country is.
From a technical point it sometimes felt more like a therapy project than journalism. And I did notice a few times phrases repeated like he was cutting and pasting articles together. Not horrible, but since he teaches writing for a living maybe it should feel a little more put together. OK, OK, who am I to criticize, when this review is a bit of a jumbled mess? Well, that is kinda the whole purpose of Goodreads, so there!
Still, I enjoyed the book although part of that is because it was a nostalgic read.
Authors and people to remember
Angie Debo
Jerald C. Walker, a Cherokee historian
Tuckabache or Crazy Snake.
Scott Ellsworth’s Death in a Promised Land.
George Milburn
Red Dirt Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
Okie writer Rilla Askew
May 22, 2023
In the vein of transparency - I love this book so much as the author and I have similar childhood experiences growing up in Tulsa, as well as similar 'Oklahoma expat' pride and guilt. The endless "You don't even have an accent", "Ohhhhh, I'm sorry" and a very recent "Wow, I never saw that coming" responses when I tell people that I grew up in Tulsa - make me cringe. When I go a step further and say that my parents still live there, you could get away with calling my 'home'(ish) and I visit pretty frequently - it usually leaves people speechless or with the follow up 'do they have clean water and electricity there now' question. Which I just laugh off. I think it's a joke, they must be joking right??
The title of this book labels OK as 'America's Weirdest State', and I get it - but to me Oklahoma will always be 'America's Masterclass in Hypocrisy and Gaslighting'. The blessed persecution in the name of religion, the God's plan of it all, the actual audacity of 'well you probably didn't pray hard enough' responses to disappointment, or 'well that must have been the punishment for their sins' towards those experiencing homelessness or hunger - and the list GOES ON. Don't get me started on The Great Tulsa Race Massacre Coverup, but do go read all of Scott Ellsworth's books on the subject.
I didn't have it in myself to stay, I gave OK the finger in the rearview mirror and didn't look back. There's only so much milquetoast one can be served for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. However, I am screaming adulations from the NE coast as I am watching some of my very best friends be the strongest hearts and voices of change in Oklahoma. Tulsa County turning blue on an election map is something I thought I would never see in my lifetime. Friends and loved ones who stayed in Oklahoma, or who have left and come back, have dug into changing the decades long generational narrative that us 80s/90s Okie kids know all too well - and it's a beautiful thing.
All of this to say, this book resonated loudly with me on a personal level and I loved every page. If only I could add a billion more starts for all the digs on the heroism of the sooners. GO POKES.
The title of this book labels OK as 'America's Weirdest State', and I get it - but to me Oklahoma will always be 'America's Masterclass in Hypocrisy and Gaslighting'. The blessed persecution in the name of religion, the God's plan of it all, the actual audacity of 'well you probably didn't pray hard enough' responses to disappointment, or 'well that must have been the punishment for their sins' towards those experiencing homelessness or hunger - and the list GOES ON. Don't get me started on The Great Tulsa Race Massacre Coverup, but do go read all of Scott Ellsworth's books on the subject.
I didn't have it in myself to stay, I gave OK the finger in the rearview mirror and didn't look back. There's only so much milquetoast one can be served for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. However, I am screaming adulations from the NE coast as I am watching some of my very best friends be the strongest hearts and voices of change in Oklahoma. Tulsa County turning blue on an election map is something I thought I would never see in my lifetime. Friends and loved ones who stayed in Oklahoma, or who have left and come back, have dug into changing the decades long generational narrative that us 80s/90s Okie kids know all too well - and it's a beautiful thing.
All of this to say, this book resonated loudly with me on a personal level and I loved every page. If only I could add a billion more starts for all the digs on the heroism of the sooners. GO POKES.
February 10, 2022
Poorly written. He complained a lot about things that aren’t taught or known, but why focus on saying “no one is talking about this” (many of which people are actually talking about?) when you could focus on telling your story well? The book lacked a through-line, which he tried to fix by claiming things are “swindles.” But you can’t tell a story and then just say swindle at the end: you have to build an argument that something is a swindle. He never bothers to do this. The chapters were so random, a weird mix of random people, general Oklahoma history, and personal stories. I did like learning about Goff’s architecture. This book didn’t work at all for me. If you want a good Oklahoma book, read Boomtown by Sam Anderson instead!! The opposite of this book in all the best ways.
April 10, 2024
Born and raised in Oklahoma, then left after college for 17 years and lived in many places before returning to Oklahoma. I found this book to be first, poorly written. Rambling. Going back to the same stories and examples over and over again. In not sure who urged this guy to write a book, but whoever it was probably didn’t mean write a bad book.
That said, this is not nonfiction. It is a personal diatribe about all things wrong with Oklahoma, or more specifically Tulsa since the author apparently did no research outside the Tulsa area he grew up in. It is opinion over fact. For that reason I give it one star, and I will not recommend it to anyone.
That said, this is not nonfiction. It is a personal diatribe about all things wrong with Oklahoma, or more specifically Tulsa since the author apparently did no research outside the Tulsa area he grew up in. It is opinion over fact. For that reason I give it one star, and I will not recommend it to anyone.
December 14, 2020
Too much BS
August 12, 2024
An intriguing look into Oklahoma's intricate history and socio-political dynamics, with a particular emphasis on the contentious land rushes and the larger themes of land ownership and exploitation. Cobb, an adept storyteller and historian, examines the tales surrounding the state's development and the various deceptions that occurred, providing readers with a deeper insight into the successes and struggles of that era.
Cobb's writing style is both captivating and easy to understand, making historical events feel personal and significant. He weaves individual narratives with overarching themes, shining a light on the experiences of those impacted by land policies, including indigenous communities and settlers in search of a new beginning. The book also critiques the capitalist mindset that often placed profit above human welfare, revealing the ethical dilemmas of the time.
A notable aspect of the book is Cobb's skill in presenting a well-rounded viewpoint, amplifying the voices of underrepresented groups and exposing the injustices they endured. This is stimulating read that encourages readers to contemplate the legacies of colonization and the persistent challenges surrounding land and identity in America. It serves as an important addition to the understanding of Oklahoma's past and provides insights that extend beyond its geographical limits.
Cobb's writing style is both captivating and easy to understand, making historical events feel personal and significant. He weaves individual narratives with overarching themes, shining a light on the experiences of those impacted by land policies, including indigenous communities and settlers in search of a new beginning. The book also critiques the capitalist mindset that often placed profit above human welfare, revealing the ethical dilemmas of the time.
A notable aspect of the book is Cobb's skill in presenting a well-rounded viewpoint, amplifying the voices of underrepresented groups and exposing the injustices they endured. This is stimulating read that encourages readers to contemplate the legacies of colonization and the persistent challenges surrounding land and identity in America. It serves as an important addition to the understanding of Oklahoma's past and provides insights that extend beyond its geographical limits.
March 27, 2023
I appreciated the historical essays, but felt medium about the personal ones. An okay book if you’re an outsider trying to understand more about Oklahoma.
November 3, 2023
Russell Cobb does a great job of identifying many of the issues facing Oklahoma. Unfortunately, the condescension and disdain for “Okies” that he addresses those issues with could not be any less helpful for creating solutions for those issues. He is seemingly unaware of the irony of centering himself, a privileged white male, in this story of how Oklahoma has consistently betrayed minorities and vulnerable populations for the benefit of privileged white males. This book was not written to address the issues facing Oklahoma, but to mock them so that others would know he’s not like other “Okies” and can share in his disdain for his home state. There is no clear through line of the book other than to provide a platform to air complaints. One chapter isn’t even about Oklahoma, just Cobb railing against the church without even having a clear critique or connection to the rest of the book. This book reads like it was written by a conservative caricature of a liberal academic and it will make creating needed change in the state more difficult for those who care enough about these issues to work to fix them. Whatever kind of book you were hoping to find here, I promise you can find a better version of that somewhere else.
March 20, 2020
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC. Interesting read. Tulsa native, Russell Cobb talks about the backstory of Tulsa- the Race massacre, the land that was swindled out from under Native Americans in the heart of the city, how Tulsa was founded and how oil makes or breaks the town. I did get bogged down in some of the facts and people but overall, very interesting! #thegreatoklahomaswindle #russellcobb
July 5, 2022
Others have written better books on the subject. Rambling chapters with random characters that almost all end in "Oklahoma is a swindle".
February 1, 2024
Read like a rapid fire list of negative facts without a lot of insight or pragmatic solutions.
June 22, 2022
P 85
ACTIONS:
O Let's have another grassroots movement to remove newest restrictions on what Ts can teach (like on P9)
DEFINITIONS:
"Confirmation bias is the tendency to search for, interpret, favor, and recall information in a way that confirms or supports one's prior beliefs or values.[1]" WIKIPEDIA.COM
Clay eaters = poor White & Black Southerners 21
"Since at least the 1930s, the Texas A&M Aggies have called students of the University of Texas at Austin “tea-sippers” ( or “teasippers"), later “tea-sips” (or “teasips"). No one knows why. ..The term tea-sip (also spelled teasip, t-sip, or t sip) was started by students of Texas A&M University (aka. Aggies) in the early 1900’s to belittle the well-to-do students of t.u. The University of Texas was traditionally the “rich” school which pumped out doctors, lawyers and the like. A&M was the blue collar school which traditionally taught Agriculture and Mechanics (engineering). " https://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/... 23
***************************************************************************
"This is the core of the Great Oklahoma Swindle (GOS): rationalize profit-taking as divine right and tell losers in the equations that it is their own fault." 24
****************************************************************
"It is not a simple story, and teasing out the hidden histories and contradictions of OK without losing my own mind has been my labor here." 25
failing state = be careful with this term - It is one matter to keep students home because of budget shortfalls, but it is quite another to have students stay home because of roving bands of warlords. 32
world's prison capital 32
"Put it all together, and you 'see a state that has failed at some fundamental level of governance." 33
Elliott Williams 33
"Scholars have shown that development of oil leads directly to increased levels of violence, more social inequality and less democratic governance. 36
petro-Christian hegemony 37 hegemony means "predominance of one state or social group over others."
THEMES:
“People look at these gorgeous buildings in downtown Tulsa and see art deco monuments. I see buildings splattered with the blood of Creek Indians.”JD Colbert 53
“ in creek and Cherokee lands, people with dubious claims to native citizenship Rushton to take control while other white philanthropists acquired as their words dozens if not hundreds of Native American children, considered by the courts incapable of managing their own lands. “58[This is how I feel about most Americans’ attitudes about homeschooling. They feel we are incapable of managing our own children’s education. And when I think about it -it’s strange that many people do not trust the products of our public education system to educate the next generation. So they don’t have faith in their own profession either.MSL
Angie Debo wrote that the story of her native state could be seen as a compressed history of the United States. 2 and "...fact that everything happened in a short time span meant that history has seemed unimportant to a lot of OKs. 25
The fact that OKLAHOMA is a deep red state, a reactionary state, lead some people to conclude that there’s some thing unAmerican about it. I am not sure about that. Whether the state is an American exception or a microcosm or a little bit of both is a question i revisit throughout this book. 2
But it is not for nothing that Oklahomans adopted the state motto Labor omnia vincit. Labor conquers all. OK has witnessed periods of insurgency and solidarity, from the Crazy Snake to the Green Corn Rebellions of early statehood to the teacher walkout of 2018 and the unexpected victories of progressive women in the midterm elections post-Trump. 6
TRUTHS:
The boomers and sooners literally jumped the gun on the land rush, camping out on the edges of town sites with fake certificates for 160 acre plots of land. They often shot and killed each other, as well as the Native Americans who legally owned the land. As the early cities of Oklahoma took shape, the boomers became the focus of the ire of city leaders. They disregarded local laws and handed out rough justice – including lynchings – to anyone who questioned their legal right to the land. They were, in the words of Danny Goble, little more than squatters. Boomers appropriated Native American Tribal names (one such group of white men called itself the Seminoles) and then proceeded to issue themselves fake land deeds. That such figures could be transformed from their origins in land based piracy to wholesome all-Americanness says a lot about the swindle at the heart of the Oklahoma project. 3
The truth is that some views about politics and religion are not to be discussed, namely those that challenge the prevailing orthodoxy. We need to have deep conversations about the foundations of OK to understand the mess the state finds itself in. The massive margin of victory for Trump - the second-widest in the nation - seems to confirm the view that Okies have completely fallen for the swindle. 5
OKLAHOMA has a venerable tradition of radicalism and social experimentation that we do not teach in our state mandated curriculum. Debunking the notion of Oklahoma (and by extension large parts of the Midwest and South) as nothing more than a redneck waste land occupies a large portion of this book. 5
In 2016 the starting wage at QuikTrip, an Oklahoma-owned convenience store, was higher than the starting salary for a teacher in the state's schools. 7
"I recently asked her why she never went on welfare or food stamps during that time. Welfare is for poor people, she said. We weren't them. Outside Dementiatown, it does not take much symbolic effort to read the code welfare; it signifies not only poverty but nonwhiteness. The very word welfare connotes an Otherness that remained vivid in her mind. 11
******************************************************************
NET NET NET NET NET NET
"My mom lives in a state where the social safety net has been torn so badly, it is hard to know how far she could fall. Oklahoma has recently fallen to near the bottom of almost all social and health indicators in the US. The state ranks among the worst in education outcomes and public education funding. It leads in obesity, incarceration, and executions. Throw in high rates of premature death, smoking, and terrible roads, and CNBC ranks it as the third-worst state to live in. Cutbacks to Medicaid and Health and Human Services mean that nursing homes across the state are closing. It takes 10 years just to get on a waiting list for a waiver to help people with severe disabilities like my mom. As Republicans continue to cut taxes, that waiting list grows longer. List these facts to an OK conservative, however, and you are likely to get a number of culprits:
government bureaucracy,
Barack Obama,
or the moral failings of individuals. Sometimes it feels like the whole state has become and extension of Dementiatown, where empirical reality is warped by some distant dream of a former time when everything was FINE FINE FINE FINE FINE FINE FINE FINE 15
*************************************************************
As the US population grows older, our collective risk for dementia increases. Our hyper-capitalistic system provides no benefits for taking care of our again parents, but it has created a market for long-term care facilities where we can offload the burden to low-wage workers. It is a deal with the devil, but I was left with no choice but to accept the terms. 16
In 2015 HB 1380 re: ended teaching of Advanced Placement US History in OK schools was defeated by grassroots network of Ts, Ss & parents. 19
"Disentangling the contradictions of white privilege, class prejudice, racism, and evangelical Christianity cannot be done in a Tweetstorm or an angry blog post." 24
"The evangelical movement normalizes injustice by substituting a hyper-individualism for the social gospel that once guided Hearthland socialism." 24
List of tragedies in OK 26
Disengaged public in politics 28
11-year difference in life expectancy between Tulsa's richest and poorest zip codes. That poorest zip code 74126 has a life expectancy comparable to North Korea. 37
2016 SQ 780 reclassified small-possession drug crimes from felonies to misdemeanors 38
?????????????????????????????????????????? WHO WHEN HOW?????????????????????
OK Senate managed to push through a bill that decriminalized the seduction of virgins with promises of marriage 38 WHATTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT???
**************
Historical tragedy leaves a legacy for succeeding generations 55
***************************
LIES:
Republicans are the party of rich people and Dems the party of poor folks. If you aspire to wealth, vote Rep. if you are content with poverty, vote Dem 15
DREAMERS:
Carlton Pearson=have met the charge of heresy 5
RADICALS:
Prose of Ralph Ellison;
Protest songs of Woody Guthrie;
Jazz, blues-coutryfusion of Bob Wills, JJ Cale, Leon Russell; 5
VISIONARIES:otherworldly architecture of Bruce Goff;
Not related to this story- just a tidbit=
WEIRDOES: new acronym=Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, Democratic
QUESTIONS:
Tulsa= Magic City???? 4
Just like white settlers who used their courts and law enforcement and military to deny Indigenous people their way of life, the white majority of today deny that homeschoolers know anything useful in raising their own children. The majority is so often suspicious and distrustful of the minority. ~MSL
ACTIONS:
O Let's have another grassroots movement to remove newest restrictions on what Ts can teach (like on P9)
DEFINITIONS:
"Confirmation bias is the tendency to search for, interpret, favor, and recall information in a way that confirms or supports one's prior beliefs or values.[1]" WIKIPEDIA.COM
Clay eaters = poor White & Black Southerners 21
"Since at least the 1930s, the Texas A&M Aggies have called students of the University of Texas at Austin “tea-sippers” ( or “teasippers"), later “tea-sips” (or “teasips"). No one knows why. ..The term tea-sip (also spelled teasip, t-sip, or t sip) was started by students of Texas A&M University (aka. Aggies) in the early 1900’s to belittle the well-to-do students of t.u. The University of Texas was traditionally the “rich” school which pumped out doctors, lawyers and the like. A&M was the blue collar school which traditionally taught Agriculture and Mechanics (engineering). " https://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/... 23
***************************************************************************
"This is the core of the Great Oklahoma Swindle (GOS): rationalize profit-taking as divine right and tell losers in the equations that it is their own fault." 24
****************************************************************
"It is not a simple story, and teasing out the hidden histories and contradictions of OK without losing my own mind has been my labor here." 25
failing state = be careful with this term - It is one matter to keep students home because of budget shortfalls, but it is quite another to have students stay home because of roving bands of warlords. 32
world's prison capital 32
"Put it all together, and you 'see a state that has failed at some fundamental level of governance." 33
Elliott Williams 33
"Scholars have shown that development of oil leads directly to increased levels of violence, more social inequality and less democratic governance. 36
petro-Christian hegemony 37 hegemony means "predominance of one state or social group over others."
THEMES:
“People look at these gorgeous buildings in downtown Tulsa and see art deco monuments. I see buildings splattered with the blood of Creek Indians.”JD Colbert 53
“ in creek and Cherokee lands, people with dubious claims to native citizenship Rushton to take control while other white philanthropists acquired as their words dozens if not hundreds of Native American children, considered by the courts incapable of managing their own lands. “58[This is how I feel about most Americans’ attitudes about homeschooling. They feel we are incapable of managing our own children’s education. And when I think about it -it’s strange that many people do not trust the products of our public education system to educate the next generation. So they don’t have faith in their own profession either.MSL
Angie Debo wrote that the story of her native state could be seen as a compressed history of the United States. 2 and "...fact that everything happened in a short time span meant that history has seemed unimportant to a lot of OKs. 25
The fact that OKLAHOMA is a deep red state, a reactionary state, lead some people to conclude that there’s some thing unAmerican about it. I am not sure about that. Whether the state is an American exception or a microcosm or a little bit of both is a question i revisit throughout this book. 2
But it is not for nothing that Oklahomans adopted the state motto Labor omnia vincit. Labor conquers all. OK has witnessed periods of insurgency and solidarity, from the Crazy Snake to the Green Corn Rebellions of early statehood to the teacher walkout of 2018 and the unexpected victories of progressive women in the midterm elections post-Trump. 6
TRUTHS:
The boomers and sooners literally jumped the gun on the land rush, camping out on the edges of town sites with fake certificates for 160 acre plots of land. They often shot and killed each other, as well as the Native Americans who legally owned the land. As the early cities of Oklahoma took shape, the boomers became the focus of the ire of city leaders. They disregarded local laws and handed out rough justice – including lynchings – to anyone who questioned their legal right to the land. They were, in the words of Danny Goble, little more than squatters. Boomers appropriated Native American Tribal names (one such group of white men called itself the Seminoles) and then proceeded to issue themselves fake land deeds. That such figures could be transformed from their origins in land based piracy to wholesome all-Americanness says a lot about the swindle at the heart of the Oklahoma project. 3
The truth is that some views about politics and religion are not to be discussed, namely those that challenge the prevailing orthodoxy. We need to have deep conversations about the foundations of OK to understand the mess the state finds itself in. The massive margin of victory for Trump - the second-widest in the nation - seems to confirm the view that Okies have completely fallen for the swindle. 5
OKLAHOMA has a venerable tradition of radicalism and social experimentation that we do not teach in our state mandated curriculum. Debunking the notion of Oklahoma (and by extension large parts of the Midwest and South) as nothing more than a redneck waste land occupies a large portion of this book. 5
In 2016 the starting wage at QuikTrip, an Oklahoma-owned convenience store, was higher than the starting salary for a teacher in the state's schools. 7
"I recently asked her why she never went on welfare or food stamps during that time. Welfare is for poor people, she said. We weren't them. Outside Dementiatown, it does not take much symbolic effort to read the code welfare; it signifies not only poverty but nonwhiteness. The very word welfare connotes an Otherness that remained vivid in her mind. 11
******************************************************************
NET NET NET NET NET NET
"My mom lives in a state where the social safety net has been torn so badly, it is hard to know how far she could fall. Oklahoma has recently fallen to near the bottom of almost all social and health indicators in the US. The state ranks among the worst in education outcomes and public education funding. It leads in obesity, incarceration, and executions. Throw in high rates of premature death, smoking, and terrible roads, and CNBC ranks it as the third-worst state to live in. Cutbacks to Medicaid and Health and Human Services mean that nursing homes across the state are closing. It takes 10 years just to get on a waiting list for a waiver to help people with severe disabilities like my mom. As Republicans continue to cut taxes, that waiting list grows longer. List these facts to an OK conservative, however, and you are likely to get a number of culprits:
government bureaucracy,
Barack Obama,
or the moral failings of individuals. Sometimes it feels like the whole state has become and extension of Dementiatown, where empirical reality is warped by some distant dream of a former time when everything was FINE FINE FINE FINE FINE FINE FINE FINE 15
*************************************************************
As the US population grows older, our collective risk for dementia increases. Our hyper-capitalistic system provides no benefits for taking care of our again parents, but it has created a market for long-term care facilities where we can offload the burden to low-wage workers. It is a deal with the devil, but I was left with no choice but to accept the terms. 16
In 2015 HB 1380 re: ended teaching of Advanced Placement US History in OK schools was defeated by grassroots network of Ts, Ss & parents. 19
"Disentangling the contradictions of white privilege, class prejudice, racism, and evangelical Christianity cannot be done in a Tweetstorm or an angry blog post." 24
"The evangelical movement normalizes injustice by substituting a hyper-individualism for the social gospel that once guided Hearthland socialism." 24
List of tragedies in OK 26
Disengaged public in politics 28
11-year difference in life expectancy between Tulsa's richest and poorest zip codes. That poorest zip code 74126 has a life expectancy comparable to North Korea. 37
2016 SQ 780 reclassified small-possession drug crimes from felonies to misdemeanors 38
?????????????????????????????????????????? WHO WHEN HOW?????????????????????
OK Senate managed to push through a bill that decriminalized the seduction of virgins with promises of marriage 38 WHATTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT???
**************
Historical tragedy leaves a legacy for succeeding generations 55
***************************
LIES:
Republicans are the party of rich people and Dems the party of poor folks. If you aspire to wealth, vote Rep. if you are content with poverty, vote Dem 15
DREAMERS:
Carlton Pearson=have met the charge of heresy 5
RADICALS:
Prose of Ralph Ellison;
Protest songs of Woody Guthrie;
Jazz, blues-coutryfusion of Bob Wills, JJ Cale, Leon Russell; 5
VISIONARIES:otherworldly architecture of Bruce Goff;
Not related to this story- just a tidbit=
WEIRDOES: new acronym=Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, Democratic
QUESTIONS:
Tulsa= Magic City???? 4
Just like white settlers who used their courts and law enforcement and military to deny Indigenous people their way of life, the white majority of today deny that homeschoolers know anything useful in raising their own children. The majority is so often suspicious and distrustful of the minority. ~MSL
October 25, 2025
Russell Cobb's The Great Oklahoma Swindle is part memoir, part history lesson, and all Oklahoma—which is to say it's equal parts fascinating and frustrating, like trying to nail Jell-O to a barn door. Cobb's trying to figure out why Oklahoma consistently brings up the rear in everything from education and teacher pay to violent crime, teen pregnancy, suicide rates, obesity, and incarceration. His approach is personal, weaving stories from his own childhood or family lore around Tulsa with the state's messy, contradictory history.
The book hits its stride when Cobb calls out Oklahoma's most ridiculous modern-day shenanigans: his take on the state legislature declaring an official day to pray for oil production. That's Oklahoma in a nutshell—can't decide if it wants to be in a church pew or an oil field, so it does both. And his roasting of the mandatory Oklahoma History course? Brother, he nailed it. Like most of us, he suffered through it under a basketball coach who clearly drew the short straw. That pitiful textbook—200 pages covering the "Five Civilized Tribes" (yikes), the Land Run, and a boring parade of governors—is a shared nightmare for anyone who grew up here.
Cobb's at his best when he's calling out Oklahoma's tendency to gaslight itself into oblivion. His breakdown of Elizabeth Warren's Native American background mess shows how Oklahoma loves to play dress-up with Native identity while treating actual Native people like dirt. His analysis of how the state government treated teachers' unions like they were nothing more than a bunch of troublemakers—until those teachers either hightailed it out of state or decided if you can't beat 'em, join 'em—is sharp as a tack.
That said, the book sometimes wanders off the trail. Cobb spends way too much time jawing about architect Bruce Goff, and I couldn't figure out what that had to do with the price of tea in China—or oil in Oklahoma, for that matter. His argument about Tulsa's Gathering Place park—that rich folks donating money are just dodging taxes—never quite got its boots on. I finished that section thinking, "Well, that dog won't hunt."
Here's where the book really bucks: it's too Tulsa-heavy. Don't get me wrong, Cobb knows Tulsa like the back of his hand, and that's worth something. However, the last third of the book really needed to mosey on over to the rest of Oklahoma. The state's got a weird, twisted history that deserves more than a Tulsa-centric view. Plus, Cobb tends to tell you the same things more than once.
When I closed this book, I thought, "Well, every state's got its share of hypocrisy." Cobb makes a decent case that Oklahoma's dysfunction is special, but his narrow focus keeps him from proving it beyond a reasonable doubt. Still, for those of us who grew up there and know the score, Cobb's personal reckoning feels like validation—even if he doesn't quite ride this bronco all the way to eight seconds.
The book hits its stride when Cobb calls out Oklahoma's most ridiculous modern-day shenanigans: his take on the state legislature declaring an official day to pray for oil production. That's Oklahoma in a nutshell—can't decide if it wants to be in a church pew or an oil field, so it does both. And his roasting of the mandatory Oklahoma History course? Brother, he nailed it. Like most of us, he suffered through it under a basketball coach who clearly drew the short straw. That pitiful textbook—200 pages covering the "Five Civilized Tribes" (yikes), the Land Run, and a boring parade of governors—is a shared nightmare for anyone who grew up here.
Cobb's at his best when he's calling out Oklahoma's tendency to gaslight itself into oblivion. His breakdown of Elizabeth Warren's Native American background mess shows how Oklahoma loves to play dress-up with Native identity while treating actual Native people like dirt. His analysis of how the state government treated teachers' unions like they were nothing more than a bunch of troublemakers—until those teachers either hightailed it out of state or decided if you can't beat 'em, join 'em—is sharp as a tack.
That said, the book sometimes wanders off the trail. Cobb spends way too much time jawing about architect Bruce Goff, and I couldn't figure out what that had to do with the price of tea in China—or oil in Oklahoma, for that matter. His argument about Tulsa's Gathering Place park—that rich folks donating money are just dodging taxes—never quite got its boots on. I finished that section thinking, "Well, that dog won't hunt."
Here's where the book really bucks: it's too Tulsa-heavy. Don't get me wrong, Cobb knows Tulsa like the back of his hand, and that's worth something. However, the last third of the book really needed to mosey on over to the rest of Oklahoma. The state's got a weird, twisted history that deserves more than a Tulsa-centric view. Plus, Cobb tends to tell you the same things more than once.
When I closed this book, I thought, "Well, every state's got its share of hypocrisy." Cobb makes a decent case that Oklahoma's dysfunction is special, but his narrow focus keeps him from proving it beyond a reasonable doubt. Still, for those of us who grew up there and know the score, Cobb's personal reckoning feels like validation—even if he doesn't quite ride this bronco all the way to eight seconds.
December 4, 2024
George Milburn:
“Oklahoma is to sociology as Australia is to zoology.”
A fascinating read whether you’re an Okie who is interested in the history they didn’t teach us, or an outsider trying to figure out what the hell is going on in this flyover state. Or one of my social media friends who wonders why I’m such a fucking train wreck of contradictions and bad life choices.
The author is from a different upbringing than me, and the book is definitely Tulsa-centric, but it’s all very familiar.
I recommend the audio book for the section on accents alone.
“Oklahoma is to sociology as Australia is to zoology.”
A fascinating read whether you’re an Okie who is interested in the history they didn’t teach us, or an outsider trying to figure out what the hell is going on in this flyover state. Or one of my social media friends who wonders why I’m such a fucking train wreck of contradictions and bad life choices.
The author is from a different upbringing than me, and the book is definitely Tulsa-centric, but it’s all very familiar.
I recommend the audio book for the section on accents alone.
May 2, 2023
An interesting read (listen) into Oklahoma’s history. Politically speaking, it’s left leaning & the author does address it. It’s a great educational listen into Oklahoma - I learned new things about the state.
November 29, 2024
I disagree strongly with the author on several points of theology and politics, but he gives a lot of information on how parts of Oklahoma came to be (Mostly eastern Oklahoma. Specifically Tulsa, where the author is originally from).
September 15, 2023
At first I liked the book a lot. But as I kept reading, that sentiment changed. I do agree with Oklahoma politicians as being morons tho.
Book summary:
The Christian white man is the damn devil.
Book summary:
The Christian white man is the damn devil.
August 1, 2025
This book was on my Audible wish list. Periodically, I check to see if anything on my wish list has been added to Audible Plus so I can listen without having to use my credits....and, to my joyful surprise, this one was! I actually really enjoyed this book. I didn't know very much about Oklahoma, despite having been there twice on my way to Colorado. I learned a lot about the history of the state, Indigenous history, and the (unfortunate) political and religious affiliation of many who inhabit it. Being from Tennessee, a lot of this stuff sounded very familiar. The author was a good story teller. I am pleased with this book.
June 12, 2025
I thought it read pretty well and was very knowledgeable. I do not enjoy history so I got lost a few times, but made it through
March 16, 2023
While I enjoyed the insight into Oklahoma history and its many players, my experience was clouded by the author’s condescension toward his home state and partisan beliefs. How the author writes is clearly his prerogative, but I would have enjoyed an account without these undertones.
April 4, 2023
Super interesting look at the history of Oklahoma, including the bad stuff. The book connects a lot of the history to how things are today. I did live in Oklahoma for 11 years and experienced a lot of what he talked about. I think some deep dives into other states could also unearth weirdness.
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