While at Big Thicket National Preserve, I read the book Tales from the Big Thicket. My copy was the 1966, 5th printing hardcover edition signed by the editor, Francis E. Abernethy. The book is an anthology. Each writer lived or worked in the Big Thicket and was an expert in different aspects of its history. Chapters include an overview of geology and soil, folklore, modern history and legends of the Alabama-Coushatta, and oral histories.
My favorite part of the book were the maps. Several black and white maps illustrated what land in the Big Thicket looked like in different periods of history. The best map was at the beginning. The foldout map displays what land Abernethy considered to be part of the Big Thicket. It differs from the land chosen to be part of the National Preserve, which was formed 8 years after the book was published.
I appreciated the variety of stories available in this book. There is a chapter for everyone. This book does have some dated language, but it is definitely not as severe as some other books that I have reviewed, and people who are sensitive to language should read this book along with Folklore of the Oil Industry and Boardin' in the Big Thicket. Also note that the chapter "From Moss Hill", by Margaret L. Hewett is particularly difficult to follow. Abernethy decided to leave Hewett's story unedited to add to the authenticity of the piece. However, Hewett's low literacy makes the chapter difficult to follow. I wish Abernethy had included a translation alongside Hewett's text, as SparkNotes does with Shakespeare's plays in its No Fear Shakespeare series.
The 2002 paperback edition of this book is currently available on Amazon for $18.95. As always, I'll receive a little commission if you buy the book through my affiliate link.
Abby Epplett Rating System: 7/10