Harrigan, essentially, is to Texas literature what Willie Nelson is to Texas music ... And his latest book might just be the one he was born to write. Big Wonderful Thing, a sprawling history of the Lone Star state, showcases Harrigan's enthusiasm for Texas ⁠— it's an endlessly fascinating look at how the state has evolved over the years ... He does an excellent job exploring the dynamics between the Spanish and French settlers and the indigenous people ⁠— Apaches, Comanches and others ⁠— who took exception to having their homeland colonized ... Past histories of Texas have focused heavily on the accomplishments, both real and legendary, of white men. But Harrigan, thankfully, doesn't forget the wide range of people that made Texas what it is ... Books as long as Big Wonderful Thing can often seem intimidating rather than inviting, but Harrigan's book is so beautifully written, it actually leaves the reader wanting more. It's clear that he loves the state, but he's refreshingly unwilling to perpetuate the mythology that's built up around it — the truth, he seems to argue, is much more interesting than the apocryphal stories that have persisted for decades ... Texas is an incredibly fascinating state — and Harrigan, who recognizes that the state's diversity is what makes it great, truly does it justice. Endlessly readable and written with great care, Big Wonderful Thing is just that.

... a Texas-sized book ... Lavishly illustrated, fully annotated, brimming with sass, intelligence, trenchant analysis, literary acumen and juicy details, it is a page-turner that can be read straight through or at random. It is big. It is popular history at its best .. unfolds a panorama—one damned thing after another, especially of battles and skirmishes for much of its first half—and it does so with gusto, affection and sobriety. Mr. Harrigan has a ready-made cast of characters who prove that truth is stranger than fiction.

Harrigan uses his stupendous storytelling skills to great effect. He covers the state’s major historical events from inventive angles, introduces newly discovered archaeological and archival research, and excels at puffing up many of Texas’s larger-than-life personalities.

... a narrative that not only covers the legends of popular lore, such as Davy Crockett and the siege of the Alamo, but also presents a more nuanced view of the traditional mythologies through the perspectives of people who have often been marginalized. Essentially, this is Texas history as seen and discovered by Harrigan through his experiences as a child and a scholar of the state, providing 'behind the curtain' glimpses of his process of crafting the work ... Harrigan is a master storyteller and weaves a highly enjoyable tale of Texas that is sometimes tall but always big. A must-read for all Texans and those who are curious about more than the legend of the state.

Big Wonderful Thing is a gift ... The book is nosed out in sheer heft only by Texas itself, it seems. But it doesn’t read that way. Harrigan...outlines Texas’ particulars from prehistory to just after 9/11 in granular detail, with an intimate, conversational style ... Make no mistake, Big Wonderful Thing is a warts-and-all history — and Texas history has a lot of warts. Consequently, this book is full of bloodshed, corruption, naked power grabs, and pervasive racism, both of the raw and institutional varieties. But Harrigan writes sentences to savor even when his subject matter turns unsavory ... Big Wonderful Thing is as fast-paced as a book the size and approximate weight of a large brick can be. It takes that many pages to fully explore the events and people that, for better or worse, helped shape Texas into the kind of place where the commander of the Osama bin Laden raid and the creator of Beavis and Butt-head can be next-door neighbors.

Like the state of which he writes, Stephen Harrigan’s book on Texas is big ... Harrigan reinforces the idea that most people do not think of Texas in relationship to slavery ... There were exceptions, but the book leaves no doubt about the origins of the state’s troubled racial history. The great strength of Harrigan’s work is that he tells the stories of all the types of people who have lived in Texas, from its earliest days into modern times, with a sense that all of their lives mattered in fashioning the state’s identity ... Texas is a large place with no one defining character, save for many residents’ confident belief that to be a Texan is to be special.

... a lively history of the nation-sized Lone Star State ... Harrigan, surveying thousands of years of history that lead to the banh mi restaurants of Houston and the juke joints of Austin, remembering the forgotten as well as the famous, delivers an exhilarating blend of the base and the ignoble, a very human story indeed ... As good a state history as has ever been written and a must-read for Texas aficionados.

... [an] eloquent homage to the Lone Star state .. Lesser-known but powerful stories, including that of the devastating 1963 natural gas explosion at a New London school, pepper the colorful narrative. Despite the author’s love of Texas, he’s also frank about the horrific violence that figures throughout its history, including the experiences of Native Americans and enslaved people. Harrigan jauntily describes unexpected connections ... Scenes of dusty West Texas and the pine-laden eastern forests add a travelogue touch. History lovers will enjoy this packed, fascinating account of a singular state.