Sonny Lamb is an affable rancher with the unfortunate habit of becoming a punchline in his Texas hometown. But when a fire breaks out at a neighbor's farm, Sonny makes headlines in another way: he bolts to the farm and saves the family's daughter and her horse. Within days, he attracts the notice of a mysterious man who asks if he'd like to run as a Republican for his district's representative seat. Though Sonny has zero experience and doesn't consider himself political, he decides to throw his hat in the ring--and he wins.
It is a testament to Wright’s talent that he can take a well-worn narrative arc and bend it in new ways ... This is not really a morality tale. It’s a character study, cleverly hidden within a raucous, fast-paced, hilarious sendup ... Wright’s book takes an up-close look at Texas politics, with all its ugliness and madness — as well as its flashes of greatness — and reminds us that none of our leaders are carved out of stone.
Wright... has a perfect feel for Texas landscapes and characters, for dialects and foibles ... The action gets a little muddled ... Mr. Texas is billed as a comic novel, and it is undoubtedly funny. But there’s a wistfulness about it, too.
Wright is an award-winning political journalist, and this background helps him draw up a fascinating portrait of Lone Star legislating ... Risible, rueful.
