PANOLA COLLEGE WELCOMES TEXAS' BEST COLLECTOR

The community is invited to meet and enjoy the anecdotes of noted author, Bob Bowman, when he visits the Panola College M.P. Baker Library on November 2, at 6:00 p.m. for a speaking and book-signing engagement.

Retired History Professor, Bill O’Neal, will be on hand to introduce Mr. Bowman who describes himself as simply a collector. He collects East Texas trivia, good ol' boy expressions, country cafes, ghost towns, and the "bests" of whatever East Texas offers...such as the best apple pie, the best buttermilk, and the best feed store. Texas Monthly, in fact, calls him Texas' best collector of Texas bests.

He is the author of 25 books on East Texas history and folklore. His books cover a range of Texas subjects. Some of the titles include: "Rub Skunk Oil and Onions on My Chest and Call Me Well,"..."I Ain't Sure I Understand Everything I Know About This," and "Plant Watermelons on My Grave and Let the Juice Ooze Down."

Born in Anderson County, he is a sixth generation Texan and the great-great-great grandson of an Alamo defender, Jesse B. Bowman. He is a past chair of the Texas Committee for the Humanities, past president and a fellow of the East Texas Historical Association, past member of both the Texas Sesquicentennial Commission and the Texas Capitol Centennial Commission, a former chair of the Angelina County Chamber of Commerce and the Angelina College Board of Trustees, and a current member of the Lufkin City Council and the administrative trustee of the Pinewoods Foundation.

Copies of Mr. Bowman’s books will be available for sale, and he has agreed to contribute a portion from the sale of each book sold at this event to the M. P. Baker Library expansion project. Refreshments will be served and there will be no admission charged for this event. For more information call 903-693-1155.