Bill Porterfield became, in 1967, the first write to live and work at Paisano, the retreat for artists at the Texas Hill Country ranch of the late J. Frank Dobie. Two pieces in this collection, "Old Juan" and "Brother Nail's Magic," were first conceived and written at the ranch on Barton Creek. Porterfield has had a varied career as a reporter, magazine writer, and television commentator and producer. This is his third book.