Legends, mysteries, weird places, and even weirder people — there’s a surplus of these oddities in Texas. Weird Texas attempts to compile them all in an entertaining and amusing format, poking fun at Texans and their quirkiness along the way. (And it succeeds in its attempt!)

Whole sections of the book are devoted to strange landmarks, ghost stories, and interesting personalities in the state, along with sections on mystery lights, strange creatures, and roadside oddities. I had heard a lot of the stories in the collection, but many were new to me. I’ve concluded since reading that the deep woods of southeast Texas and San Antonio are two of the most bizarre areas of the state. At one point, the stories became so fantastical that I had to ask Wes, “Have you ever even heard of San Antonio’s Donkey Lady?” Wes, a San Antonio native, got a rather terrified look on his face, and said, “Of course. Hasn’t everyone heard of the Donkey Lady?” (He would probably deny it, but I think he actually believes that story is real!)

This is a fun read, especially if you’re from Texas. I plan to hit up a few of the places mentioned the next time we find ourselves south of the Red River…