The Cedar Choppers: Life on the Edge of Nothing (Volume 24) (Sam Rayburn Series on Rural Life, sponsored by Texas A&M University-Commerce)

I ordered this book for myself after hearing some of friends talk about it and I liked it so much, I ordered a copy for my brother. The author,through interviews and scholarly research, paints a believable picture of those who truly did live on the edge of nothing, the cedar choppers of Central Texas. The only criticism I would have is that most of the book seems to be directed toward those of the group who fought, drank, sold bootleg whiskey, and were generally disagreeable people. As a descendant of a cedar choppers family, I can tell you there were many others who were honest, hard-working people whose lifestyle may have matched that of the other group but didn't fit the rowdier part. All in all, though, it was a good read which provided interesting conversation between my brother and me.

I've lived in Austin for a long time. I've heard about "cedar choppers" as a derogatory term referring to ignorant "hillbillys" out in the woods. I didn't really know or understand who these people were. I found this book fascinating. Well written by Ken Roberts in a very comfortable style. Definitely gave me insight into a part of history I didn't know or understand previously. A recommended read for anyone long term central Texas residents. My opinion of cedar choppers has been changed from something negative to something more of admiration for these hard working independent thinking family centric people.

This was a book club selection, or I probably would not have chosen it, but I'm glad I read it. It is easy reading and quite informative and interesting. The "cedar chopper" way of life was unknown to me. It has some unusual and entertaining stories.

As a descendant of William and Sophia Teague, this work confirms a lot of the oral history I was told from my grandparents and great aunts/uncles. This book is very well done and is as enlightening as it is informative. Kudos to the author for a job well done.

I lived in Austin and have heard of these people, but didn't know anything about them. They were a very important part of our history and Mr. Roberts has shown us how this special group and their culture lived in the hill country. I'm impressed with their hard work ethics, independence, and able to survive living in harsh conditions.

I have lived in Austin off and on for 45 years. As a student at the University of Texas in the early 70s, I heard the term "cedar choppers" many times, usually regarding the western locales of Austin. I saw this book and was immediately interested. I learned how important they were as a people to creating Central Texas as we know it. The street names, areas, creeks, streams, land reflect their influence today. Being of Scots-Irish descent, I was particularly drawn to the reason Appalachians migrated to Central Texas, what was the culture that drove them to come, to work so hard, to fight so hard, and to love so fiercely. I see these traits in my ancestry as well.

I do appreciate the author's efforts to thread the lineage of these families throughout the book. However, it reads a little text-bookie. You can tell the author enjoyed following every family thread he could trace, and he talked to some real ol'timers. Having grown up in the area where in these stories took place, it was well worth the read. The accounts of early Austin and the Bee Caves area were enlightening. The family names in this book are still prominent in these parts.Buy it and take yourself back to the days of real freedom, pristine environs, proud familes, an honest day's work and good 'shine in the Texas Hill Country.

Roberts tells the interesting story of an easily overlooked group that carved out a meager existence in the hollows and cedar breaks of the Texas Hill Country west of Austin. At a more sophisticated level he offers an economic history of the group's response to a demand for a particular product -- cedar posts -- at a particular moment in American history. At yet another level, he presents cosmopolitan, hip Austin and its rural hinterland as a metaphor for the cultural and social class divisions so common in the world today. The story is supported by beautiful maps, numerous historic photos, and superb documentation.