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Review: Gone to Dallas offers educational look at early Texas

December 01, 2021 - 05:00
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“Sara’s husband was a disappointment in life, but she had to admit he was a handsome corpse.”

This intriguing opening sentence led to a story of a young woman’s adventures in Dallas, Texas, during its infancy. “Gone to Dallas: The Storekeeper 1856- 1861” by Laurie Moore-Moore was published by Goat Mountain Press in 2021. Laurie Moore-Moore is a fifth-generation Texan who resides in Dallas with her family. This is the first book in her Texas Brave and Strong Series.

Sara Darnell and her new husband, Morgan, join a “Gone to Texas” wagon train in 1856, leaving from Memphis, Tennessee.

After traveling to Dallas, Sara finds herself newly widowed and with two options: go back to Tennessee to her parents or open the general store of her dreams on her own. Sara decides to stick it out and we follow her through the true history of early Dallas, the beginnings of La Reunion, freezing winters, gunfights, grand balls and even the fire that destroys everything they had built.

Through Sara’s story and the people around her, we get a glimpse into early Texas history and what it would have been like to be a young woman trying to build a dream on the Texas prairie lands.

The author’s research made this read enjoyable and educational. Real places and real people are interspersed throughout, almost giving it a diary-like feel at times. The prose is easy to read, and the story is written in a linear way that makes for a fast read.

I especially enjoyed the portion of the book when Sara and her husband were with the wagon train. Details of what it was like to spend three months with a group of strangers going to places few have visited before you made the story interesting and inspired me to research some of the places and events she touches on for myself.

The book did drag a little at the end, with brief busts of excitement among pages of day-to-day life.

I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in Texas History or Women’s History. Both aspects of the book make for a fascinating read.

Dianna Landes is the Lakehills Area Library Director.