This book was written in the early 1960s. Even that long ago, Graves was lamenting the fact that Texas' past was slowly slipping away. How do you think he would have viewed Texas' transition from a primarily rural to a primarily urban state?
John Graves (1920-2013) was a Texas writer known for writing about the history of the state and how its landscape and politics intertwine. His book, Goodbye to a River, is a semi-historical account of a canoe trip he took down the Brazos River in 1957. (His section of the Brazos River is west of the Metroplex.) The impetus for the trip was a series of flood-control dams that were set to built along the river, which would have irrevocably altered its course, including its flora and fauna. It is widely acknowledged as one of the finest books ever written about Texas.
Discussion Questions:
- This book was written in the early 1960s. Even that long ago, Graves was lamenting the fact that Texas' past was slowly slipping away. How do you think he would have viewed Texas' transition from a primarily rural to a primarily urban state?
In this investigation, we examine John Graves' viewpoint on how Texas changed from being a state that was mostly rural to one that was primarily urban. We consider Graves' major work, "Goodbye to a River," and speculate on how he would have perceived this change as a writer who was well familiar with Texas' past and present. His work, written in the early 1960s, laments the Brazos River's vanishing past and imminent changes brought on by flood control dams. Through his perspective, we analyze the possible range of feelings he may be experiencing as urbanization reshapes the state, including nostalgia for the rural countryside, environmental worries, and admiration for Texas' cultural history.
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