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Tower Books Imprint
With the Bark Off: A Journalist’s Memories of LBJ and a Life in the News Media
"IT'S A HECKUVA TRIP!" ...Bill Moyers, PBS documentarian and commentator
What if you got a call from Lyndon Johnson to be in Washington DC tomorrow to take a trip around the world? If you are twenty-four-year-old broadcast journalist Neal Spelce, you buckle up. A two-week diplomatic dream trip turned into a lifelong rollercoaster ride.
During his lengthy media career, Spelce saw Austin grow from a college town to a thriving city. Along the way he interacted with Texas legends such as Darrell Royal, Willie Nelson, Dan Rather, Bill Moyers, LadyBird Johnson, Ann Richards, John Connally and even a few rascals, all part of entertaining stories that he tells, as LBJ liked to say, " with the bark off. "
What if you got a call from Lyndon Johnson to be in Washington DC tomorrow to take a trip around the world? If you are twenty-four-year-old broadcast journalist Neal Spelce, you buckle up. A two-week diplomatic dream trip turned into a lifelong rollercoaster ride.
During his lengthy media career, Spelce saw Austin grow from a college town to a thriving city. Along the way he interacted with Texas legends such as Darrell Royal, Willie Nelson, Dan Rather, Bill Moyers, LadyBird Johnson, Ann Richards, John Connally and even a few rascals, all part of entertaining stories that he tells, as LBJ liked to say, " with the bark off. "
304 pages, Hardcover
Published October 5, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 13, 2022
If you are a longtime Austinite or a fan of LBJ biographies, don't miss With the Bark Off. Neal Spelce has had a remarkable personal history as a journalist, political consultant, and businessman. I learned so much about my adopted hometown of Austin and people I have known for years.
December 12, 2023
With the Bark Off is a fine quick read, but I think will only be really interesting to those with an interest in Texas and specifically Austin. Neal's chapters on covering the 1966 UT shooting are the strongest in the book, while the rest of it is mostly 2-3 page snippets of recollections of interesting moments to the author.
It feels like a collection of stories you would hear at a dinner party vs real insight. While it is carried by the many interesting people that Neal was able to interact with in his career, it is mostly surface level information. It's interesting he throws some shade at Robert Caro for never having met LBJ, while Caro's work is infinitely better at understanding the man vs what is in this book.
As a Texan I found it interesting for the history of our local news, but I don't think it worth the read for others. In the postscript he notes that his original draft was too long and he will be publishing a 2nd volume - I don't see me reading that one.
It feels like a collection of stories you would hear at a dinner party vs real insight. While it is carried by the many interesting people that Neal was able to interact with in his career, it is mostly surface level information. It's interesting he throws some shade at Robert Caro for never having met LBJ, while Caro's work is infinitely better at understanding the man vs what is in this book.
As a Texan I found it interesting for the history of our local news, but I don't think it worth the read for others. In the postscript he notes that his original draft was too long and he will be publishing a 2nd volume - I don't see me reading that one.
March 21, 2023
Trying to finish last year's TBR pile before this year's conference. Texas author so definitely added to our library.
Spelce was the live reporter on-site at the tower shooting; he was working for the station owned by LBJ and Mrs. Johnson. Later he travelled with Johnson to Asia and he met and worked with many of the movers and shakers in Texas history.
He recounts his story in short chapters focused on one incident or another (3 chapters deal with the Tower shooting) and told in a straightforward and often humorous manner.
I look forward to his 2nd book.
Spelce was the live reporter on-site at the tower shooting; he was working for the station owned by LBJ and Mrs. Johnson. Later he travelled with Johnson to Asia and he met and worked with many of the movers and shakers in Texas history.
He recounts his story in short chapters focused on one incident or another (3 chapters deal with the Tower shooting) and told in a straightforward and often humorous manner.
I look forward to his 2nd book.
February 19, 2024
This is a solid 3-star book! Some parts were very interesting--some parts less so. He puts his spin on things.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews