Many of us here in town know Sam Wyly as local business owner, author, renewable energy advocate, successful entrepreneur and, of course, neighbor. Some of us are also lucky enough to be able to call him “Boss” (as most of you reading this probably know, Sam and Cheryl Wyly are the owners of Explore Booksellers).
Sam has just released his newest book, co-authored with his son Andrew, titled “Texas Got It Right!”
It is a rip-roaring, fact-filled paean to the great state of Texas and the people who call her home.
I particularly enjoyed the various biographical profiles of some of the great historical figures and guiding lights of Texas. There is, of course, the necessary profile of Sam Houston, as no book that includes any Texas history would be complete without it. While it is, by necessity, only a snapshot of the great warrior and statesman, one can see where the reverence that Texas holds for iconoclasts and bold leaders originated.
That description would apply equally to Governor Ann Richards and Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison as well, two prime examples of public servants whose contributions have made Texas a better place to live. There are many such profiles in the book and they are all informative and intriguing, and all give a good idea of the reasons so many mavericks and characters have decided that Texas is the place they call home.
I have to say that if you’ve come from California or any of those other Yankee states, like I have, that you might get to feeling a little picked on before you’ve finished reading. This is because the authors take great joy in promoting the advantages of the open business climate, entrepreneurial spirit, and inventive energy that reigns in Texas, and comparing it to those places that, they feel, are missing the proverbial boat. They believe that the rest of the country is mired in practices that are not conducive to fostering and fledging new businesses and investment. Sam and Andrew advocate that commonsense regulation and the reduction of red tape and taxes on capital investment will create more opportunity and help reinvigorate the engines of commerce in America.
And finally, in the words of Sam Wyly, environmental entrepreneur, “Choose Wisely; It’s A Small Planet. Promote economic development that respects the environment. Texas has proven that conservation and growth can go hand in hand.”
Other Explore Booksellers Staff Picks:
1.”Waging Heavy Peace” by Neil Young
2.”This is How You Lose Her” by Junot Diaz
3.”Joseph Anton: A Memoir” by Salman Rushdie
4.”Live by Night” by Dennis Lehane