Rough Country

"Robert Wuthnow has never shied away from tackling big subjects, but this sweeping, detailed, complex, yet flowing account and analysis of more than 150 years of religion, race, politics, and social change in Texas must rank among the very best of his many books. And while Texans often think of ourselves as living in 'a whole 'nuther country, ' Wuthnow deftly shows that what happens in Texas doesn't stay in Texas."--William Martin, Rice University's Baker Institute"This is a rich history of Texas presented with a sociologist's keen eye for communities, institutions, legal processes, and social variables. The book is even more valuable for narrating the connections among race, religion, and politics that make Texas both singular in itself and representative of the nation as a whole. Rough Country is a splendid achievement."--Mark A. Noll, author of God and Race in American Politics: A Short History"In this meticulously researched and beautifully written book, Robert Wuthnow offers a sweeping history of Texas's unrivaled place in American civil religion. Addressing topics as varied as presidential politics, race and religion, and demographic change since the nineteenth century, Rough Country teaches us not only about one of the nation's most intriguing--and in some ways, surprising--states but also about the nation as a whole. This nuanced, fascinating volume should be in the hands of everyone who wants to understand the place of public faith in our world today."--D. Michael Lindsay, president of Gordon College"With characteristic precision and authority, Robert Wuthnow offers a conclusive account of how and why Texas has so profoundly defined modern American religion and politics. From his exhaustive research in a sweeping range of sources, he draws out one illustrative character and colorful anecdote after another, and combines them with incisive analysis of sociological data to create a compelling portrait of the Lone Star State's ascent. A good read as much as an exceptional piece of scholarship, Rough Country proves that as Texas has gone, so has the nation."--Darren Dochuk, author of From Bible Belt to Sunbelt"This book tells a story that hasn't been told before. Writing in an engaging narrative style, Robert Wuthnow describes the major events and religious currents in U.S. history over the past century and a half as they played out in Texas. The book will appeal to anyone interested in U.S. history or in how religion and race intersected with events in America's past."--Helen Rose Ebaugh, University of Houston