Product Description

To Texans, barbecue is elemental. Succulent, savory, perfumed with smoke and spice, it transcends the term "comfort food." It's downright heavenly, and it's also a staff of Texas life. Like a dust storm or a downpour, barbecue is a force of Texas nature, a stalwart tie to the state's cultural and culinary history. Though the word is often shortened to "BBQ," the tradition of barbecue stands Texas-tall.

Photographer Wyatt McSpadden has spent some twenty years documenting barbecue--specifically, the authentic family-owned cafes that are small-town mainstays. Traveling tens of thousands of miles, McSpadden has crisscrossed the state to visit scores of barbecue purveyors, from fabled sites like Kreuz's in Lockhart to remote spots like the Lazy H Smokehouse in Kirbyville. Color or black-and-white, wide angle or close up, his pictures convey the tradition and charm of barbecue. They allow the viewer to experience each place through all five senses. The shots of cooking meat and spiraling smoke make taste and smell almost tangible. McSpadden also captures the shabby appeal of the joints themselves, from huge, concrete-floored dining halls to tiny, un-air-conditioned shacks. Most of all, McSpadden conveys the primal physicality of barbecue--the heat of fire, the heft of meat, the slickness of juices--and also records ubiquitous touches such as ancient scarred carving blocks, torn screen doors and peeling linoleum, and toothpicks in a recycled pepper sauce jar.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #21424 in Books
• Published on: 2009-03-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 160 pages

Review
"When I first looked at Wyatt McSpadden's photos I fancied that someone had given the soul of Edward Hopper a camera and sent him off to Texas." Jim Harrison

Review
When I first looked at Wyatt McSpadden's photos I fancied that someone had given the soul of Edward Hopper a camera and sent him off to Texas. (Jim Harrison )

About the Author
WYATT MCSPADDEN's portraits of governors, golfers, musicians, millionaires, and more have appeared in scores of publications nationwide, most notably in Texas Monthly, where he is a contributing photographer. His other assignments have ranged from shooting ranch roundups and football games to capturing religion, race, medicine, crime, technology, and virtually every other aspect of Texas life.

JIM HARRISON is the author of thirty books of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. He has recently published The English Major, a novel, and In Search of Small Gods, a book of poems. He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

A writer-at-large for Texas Monthly and food columnist for Texas Journey, JOHN MORTHLAND has written widely on the subjects of food, music, travel, and regional culture for more than thirty years.

Customer Reviews

Simply delicious
The images in this book are exceptional. One can almost smell the barbecue and the smoke. They are straight forward, honest photos taken by a straightforward, honest , and dedicated photographer. No trick photography, just a master craftsman demonstrating his skill. If you have ever enjoyed the pleasures of Texas BBQ, you can relive those pleasures through the pages of this book.

Simply fabulous
This book is simply fabulous: a love letter to the rough world of meat cutters, smoke hands, and pit crews. It is an honest portrayal of an elemental product: meat, smoke, time. So stripping everything down to its essence - that's what Wyatt McSpadden does in the book. The pictures are saturated in true color and rich imagery that comes not from costuming or placement, but from an incredible photographer who uses a jeweler's eye to see the beauty of what is. And when we accept what is, especially when it's Texas bbq, there's a rough beauty that pours out into our hearts from the page.

THE book for lovers of the tradition of Texas BBQ
There simply isn't anything like this. Every photo is a gem that is worth staring at for a while. The book captures the essence of the near-religious tradition of barbecue in Texas. If you follow that near-religion you'll love the book. If you don't, you'll see what it's all about.