Books ‘n’ Authors and All that Jazz: The Biggest Liar in Texas

Donna Ingham delivered the luncheon speech at Books ‘n’ Authors and All That Jazz. The well-known humorist and folklorist calls herself the Texas Tale Teller and has been recognized as World Storyteller and Biggest Liar in Texas.

Her Web site describes her performances:

Humorist and folklorist Donna Ingham takes the ancient art of storytelling and gives it a Texas twist to entertain audiences of all ages. Hear tall tales, folklore, historical and personal stories told as only a Texan could–or would.

Although she has earned her reputation as a storyteller, she has also written three books about Texas.

She told delightful Texas stories, including the tale of Oliver Loving and Charles Goodnight, the real men who inspired Larry McMurtry’s Lonesome Dove. Oliver Goodnight is buried in Weatherford, and his great-great-granddaughter attended the luncheon.

Updated 8/14/07: A correction pointed out by a reader. Rick really knows his Texas history:

Just a slight correction to your remarks about Donna Ingham: It is Oliver Loving who is buried in Weatherford. Charles Goodnight is Buried in a cemetery just off highway 287, East of Amarillo, at the unincorporated town of Goodnight.

I was so impressed with Donna’s presentation and want to emulate her in my speaking and writing career. Her enunciation, projection, and delivery were perfect. Even with hearing problems that usually keep me from being able to understand speakers clearly, I could hear and understand – and enjoy – every word she said.

Her performance was entertaining and educational. As a genealogist and family historian, she echoed what I believe when she closed her presentation by saying, “If we don’t write these family stories, they’ll be lost forever.”

[tags]Books ‘n’ Authors and All That Jazz, Donna Ingham, family history, Texas tales[/tags]