Comanche Midnight
Writing timeless essays that capture vanished worlds and elusive perceptions, Stephen Harrigan is emerging as a national voice with an ever-expanding circle of enthusiastic readers. For those who have already experienced the pleasures of his writing—and especially for those who haven't—Comanche Midnight collects fifteen pieces that originally appeared in the pages of Texas Monthly, Travel Holiday,and Audubon magazines.
The worlds Harrigan describes in these essays may be vanishing, but his writing invests them with an enduring reality. He ranges over topics from the past glories and modern-day travails of America's most legendary Indian tribe to the poisoning of Austin's beloved Treaty Oak, from the return-to-the-past realism of the movie set of Lonesome Dove to the intimate, off-season languor of Monte Carlo.
If the personal essay can be described as journalism about that which is timeless, then Stephen Harrigan is a reporter of people, events, and places that will be as newsworthy years from now as they are today. Read Comanche Midnight and see if you don't agree.
Reviews
“In an age in which reading seems on the decline, it is refreshing to have a collection of literate, intelligent, sensitive, and factually sound essays to help situate ourselves in the past and present."—Southwestern Historical Quarterly
“Writing in a state known for its enormity, Harrigan is on the side of the small men who often die victims of a history that too quickly forgets.”—Publishers Weekly
“He is able to express an indefinable nostalgia for the magic of the past as well as the realities of the present, arriving at unforgettable depictions of place and character.”—Library Journal
“Mr. Harrigan leads the reader on a well-guided tour of the land, past and present, and the people who have graced that land for better or worse with their lives. This is territory of the soul. . . a terrific book.”—The Dallas Morning News
”He is fascinated by secrets of the deep, whether they lurk beneath the water, are buried in history or smolder in the human breast. . . Harrigan brings the same dreamy, ephemeral vision to all of humanity’s endeavors, and reading him, you think, that’s right, that’s the way it is.”—San Francisco Chronicle