Reading with Style discussion

I was going to post about him in the Fall 21 discussions under the task Musical Mysteries but I was thinking about what a huge fan I have been since the late 80’s. He is such an icon for those of us with Texan Roots. And like many icons of Texas he is very much a “what you see is what you get, take it or leave it kind of man” unlike a lot of the Texan politicians today, he never says just what someone wants to hear no matter how rich and famous they are. Here’s a man where you don’t have to figure out who is behind the mask or who will flip to appease whoever who is in power. He won’t kiss anybody’s boots. But he is also a Renaissance Man. Who is just as at home in his own skin in posh Manhattan as in the Austin City Limits Scene or Gruene Dance Hall in Texas Hill County where boot scootin’ has been happening since the 19th century.

I posted about another author I adore, Mark Twain and Kinky is of his breed. Dry humor, satire, and a wit that won’t quit.
Kinky was born to Jewish Russian immigrants in the 1940’s. His father was a doctor and the son was already showing his high intelligence in grammar school as a chess champion. He formed two country western bands and in his mystery series the characters are himself and the members of his better known band, Kinky Friedman and The Texas Jewboys. Some songs they released were They Dont Make Jews Like Jesus Anymore and Asshole From El Paso. He was politically incorrect long before it was cool but he still managed to pull it off so you felt you were in on the joke with him rather the butt of an insult.

His parents own a ranch in Kerrville, Texas where they ran a children’s Camp and Kinky has opened a ranch to save animals from euthanasia. He served the Peace Corp in Borneo, has hung out at the White House with his friends the Bush Family and the Clintons, he has homes in New York City and a Texas ranch, toured with Bob Dylan, is mentioned by name in a book written by author Joseph Heller, graduated from my alma Mater University of Texas (Hook ‘em, Horns) was also friends with other another Texan icon, Gov Ann Richards and still hangs out with Willie Nelson. He’s a song writer, as well as the author of his mysteries series and writes regularly for leading Texas publications such as Texas Monthly, & Texas Highways and was often on the Don Imus show (another buddy).
In 2006 he ran for governor and I was one of the 12% who voted for him for his honesty as a human more than anything else. He lost to Ricky Perry. Actually he lost to everybody as he came in last out of a slate of 4 but I kept the bumper sticker on my little car with the slogan, “He Ain’t Kinky, He’s my Governor”.

I’ve already read all his books including the non- mystery ones such as You Can Lead a Politician to Water, But You Can't Make Him Think: Ten Commandments for Texas Politics, 'Scuse Me While I Whip This Out: Reflections on Country Singers, Presidents, and Other Troublemakers, Kinky Friedman's Guide to Texas Etiquette: Or How to Get to Heaven or Hell Without Going Through Dallas-Fort Worth, and Texas Hold 'Em: How I Was Born in a Manger, Died in the Saddle, and Came Back as a Horny Toad. I loved the whole mystery series but I think my favorites were Armadillos and Old Lace, Meanwhile Back at the Ranch and Kill Two Birds and Get Stoned.
I might have to read one of them again for this challenge, especially if I can find it as an audiobook that is read by the author.
Wikipedia has a pretty thorough article about him to learn more about his exploits https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinky_F...

And here is the review from Amazon about one of my favorites:
If Kinky Friedman does to literature what he has done to music, this nation is in serious trouble.”—Dave Barry, humorist, author, and Pulitzer Prize winner

Kinky Friedman is living proof that you can be a Texan, a New Yorker, a Jewish country-and-western singer, and an amateur detective all at the same time. But when New York City gets a little too full of murder and mayhem to suit him, Kinky heads for the fresh air of the Lone Star State—filtered, of course, through his ever-present cigar. But something is rotten in the state of Texas, too, and Kerrville's justice of the peace asks the Kinkster for his help. Four old ladies have died in the past few months, and though there's no apparent link, Judge Pat Knox is sure there's a connection. Before this case ends, Kinky will meet up with a rose-growing survivalist, a swarm of angry bees, a swarm of eight-year-old buckaroos at his father's ranch and summer camp, and, if he's not careful, he may just meet up with his own ultimate end.