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THREE FRIENDS: Roy Bedichek, J. Frank Dobie, Walter Prescott Webb by William Owens

THREE FRIENDS: Roy Bedichek, J. Frank Dobie, Walter Prescott Webb

By

Pub Date: Oct. 17th, 1969
Publisher: Doubleday

This joint celebration of three recently deceased men and the close friendship they maintained during almost forty years at the University of Texas is largely a loosely organized selection of their tripartite correspondence (epistolary prolixity despite geographical proximity) supplemented by taped interviews with the three and admiring commentary by the author, who knew them well. Born of pioneer families, the three shared and enriched in each other a deep-seated appreciation of frontier land, life, and legend which fertilized their academic and literary efforts--""Bedi"" as a naturalist, Dobie as a folklorist, and Webb as a historian. In their letters they chat about birds and books (with only occasional reference to university affairs or current events) and exchange anecdotes and advice in a tone so low-keyed as to be soporific. Owens assures us that the friends are rapidly becoming a Texas myth, but readers in those regions where their names aren't household words may find the book undiverting.