From Kittyhawk to the Moon: The Life, Times, and Heritage of a Texas Oilman (review)

84Southwestern Historical QuarterlyJuly the book's having multiple authors as well as the untimely passing of the lead author , Baylor alumnus Dorothy Blodgett. Nevertheless, in light of the emphasis on Reconstruction and earlier Texas history, such valuable work offers the basis for new interest and research. University ofNorth TexasMark Stanley From Kittyhawk to the Moon: The Life, Times, and Heritage of a Texas Oilman. By W. O. Durham. (New York: Vantage Press, 2007. Pp. 466. Illustrations, notes, bibliography. ISBN 0533154359. $24.95, cloth.) From Kittyhawk to the Moon, written by the subject's son, W. O. Durham, is an interesting work dealing with the life and times of a prominent Texas oilman named Owen Lafayette Durham. The work traces the genealogical origins of this prominent oil man, specifically detailing the roots of the maternal and paternal sides of Durham. Born in i8g8 in Milam, Texas, Durham led an active life. He never entertained the idea of an education. During his early years, he picked cotton in Louisiana and helped his father on the family farm. In 1917 he joined the U.S. Army, in which he served as an artilleryman. Unfortunately for Owen, the 1918 armistice was signed before he could actually fight in combat, but as the author points out, he "saw much of the devastation of the war" (p. 257). After the war, Durham became involved in the resurging petroleum business. He first worked as a "roughneck" in the oil fields in Humble, Texas. From Humble he eventually worked his way to the California oil fields and then returned to his Texas roots. He even spent a number of years in the vastly expanding oil fields in Venezuela and Colombia. Durham led a long life. He died in 1997 at the age of 97 with wealth and a large family. From Kittyhawk to the Moon offers valuable insight into the life of Durham. However, the work suffers from a major flaw: the book lacks narrative organization . For example, at one point in the book, in the midst of a discussion of Durham's life in die 1920s, the author suddenly shifts to the political events of the late nineteenth century. At another point, the author is discussing Huey Long's "Every Man a King" campaign of 1930, but suddenly devolves to 1926, when King was railroad commissioner of Louisiana. The book is replete with this type ofchaotic prose. Perhaps future editions will deal with this problem. Despite its flaws, From Kittyhawk to the Moon is an engaging read. Durham's life is manifested in die social and political events of the period. What is most intriguing about the work is the comparative nature of the book. Durham's commentaries on social and work conditions in Venezuela and Colombia provide a niianced analysis of American corporate culture in Latin America. Essentially, this book is a valuable source for U.S., Texas, and Latin American historians. Houston Community CollegeJaime Ramón Olivares ...