UT Life & Lit of the Southwest prof Don Graham has passed

[Chad Fuck 18134]

Didn't see this posted elsewhere.  Don Graham is the one who turned me onto Texas lit as a genre, and every time I was in town I'd drop by the Co-op to see what was on his syllabi.  In that sense, I learned from him long after my Life & Literature of the Southwest class.  His bio of Audie Murphy ("No Name on the Bullet") and his compilation of Texas Lit ("Lone Start Literature") are personal favs.  Hard to imagine he was 79, but time waits for no one.

https://www.statesman.com/news/20190622/1940-2019-texas-author-critic-scholar-and-curmudgeon-don-graham-has-died

[dimyh 1890]

Damn. One of my favorite profs during my 90s tour of duty. He just came across as such a genuine Texan, with the passion and love for the stories in the American southwest. He was intelligent and insightful without being pretentious or stuffy. First time he discussed our first paper assignment in class, explaining what needed to be covered and he closed with a final reminder, "and don't load up on the bullshit." 

You will be missed Don.

[dcbc 14644]

Wow.  What a class!  He was tied with Michael Adams for my favorite professor at UT.

One of those classes following which I did not sell back the books.  Bud Shrake's Strange Peaches was a highlight for me.

Edited July 29, 2019 by dcbc