John J. Linn’s reminiscences are well known to Texas history scholars, but less familiar to general readers. The book is one of the first-person reflections on early Texas that has the hallmarks of both authenticity and personal interpretation. Written in 1883 by an octogenarian who had been an early trader, merchant, and soldier based in and around Victoria, the text begins with Austin’s colony and chronicles the state’s vicissitudes through the revolution, statehood and the Civil War.

There is seldom any doubt about where Linn stands, whether the subject is Sam Houston, the Confederacy, or the many remarkable characters that populate his narrative. Linn views the past through lenses of his own coloring, but he relates the facts fairly, as he remembers them.

The book is as much a documentary compilation as reminiscence. Linn freely draws extracts from historical documents, speeches, letters, and newspapers. At times there is a feel of thumbing through his scrapbook of history, but the approach provides a beneficial authenticity and exposes the reader to the original words that shaped Texas.

When Linn expresses himself, he alternates between plainspoken narrative and a flowery and lofty oratory that was popular in his time. He speaks highly of the great orators of early Texas, and believes that important subjects must be described with important words.

If the reader pays attention and tracks names and events carefully, Linn’s book offers a great deal of valuable on-the-spot detail. The less meticulous reader will pass over the details and simply enjoy the astounding romp that was early Texas.