The Great Psychedelic Armadillo Picnic

A 'Walk' in Austin

By: Kinky Friedman

Narrated by: Stephen Hoye

Length: 3 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

Kinky Friedman, the original Texas Jew boy, guides readers through the sights, sounds, food, and sundry oddities of his favorite Texas city. Known for live music and food, Austin is also the home of Willie Nelson, Janis Joplin, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and a number of other music legends.

In this slightly insane and surprisingly practical guide to the coolest city in Texas, you'll find out which restaurant President Bush thinks is the best burger joint; you'll get a glimpse of Willie Nelson's home; and the best view of the Mexican free-tailed bats as they make their nightly flights to and from the Congress Avenue Bridge.

©2004 Kinky Friedman (P)2004 Books on Tape

Critic reviews

"A good travelogue conveys a sense of place while pointing the reader towards interesting activities, destinations, places to eat and the like. A great travelogue does all this, but it also stands alone as an enjoyable read, regardless of the reader's travel plans. This quirky tour of Austin, Texas, delivers the whole enchilada." (Publishers Weekly)

GREAT BOOK

I moved to Austin in 1970 and this book is wonderful. GReat to revisit places I haven't been to in a while and now have gone to see again and to remember the ones that have past.

Wish Kinky Woulda Read It

I enjoyed this book because I live in Austin and I have a great love for this city. Kinky is just hilarious and he has so many good stories. He knows everyone.

I would have liked this audiobook MUCH better if Kinky had read it. I was disappointed about that. The narrator mispronounced some Austin streets and that is just annoying. People here know that Manchaca is pronounced "Man-shack" and Guadalupe is "Guadaloop" and Burnet is "BURN-it," not "Bur-NETT."

The kinkster

Being a austin ire I found this book tell a lot. Of Texas history along with Austin. So much history of the town, music& restrants & bars .. Very informative.

Kinky

Although I won't be visiting Austin until Montana has a seaport (might not be long now) I enjoyed this good-natured romp through that hallowed capitol. I was surprised by the respect that GW Bush is spoken of ... his stature growing with every day that Trump is President. I've been heard to say that I didn't care much for Shrub as President but I'd be glad to invite him to a party. Friedman is self-denigrating (a sure sign of humility) has the ability to laugh at himself, is witty and able to think on several levels. I believe he loves Austin and knows a lot about the place. Previously I thought Austin a den of hard-hearted oil tycoons ruling over a slobbering mass of adamantine haters of Hispanics, the poor and lefties but, thanks to Kinky who actually knows someone there, my opinion has softened. I could go on and I think I will -- right after I say I laughed out loud and will take this book with me when I visit the musical home of Willy Nelson.

Why isn't Kinky reading!?!?!?!

I had already heard the abridged audiobook on CD a few months ago as a gift. I managed to listen to it, and it was great to have Kinky tell his own jokes.

HOWEVER, the only version on Audible is read by some DRY narrator. It is TERRIBLE! It comes off as way to much of a guide book vs. comedy.

Half Kinkster, Half not

A curious book from the Kinkster. In places it is pure genius, vintage Kinster rambling and in others it seems to have been written by some factlet freak in The Austin Tourist Bureau. Nevertheless, it almost makes me want to go back to Austin to investigate all the weird and interesting aspects of this city that I obviously totally missed in my earlier visit. My only memory of that visit was of being falsely and agressively acused of being a NYC boy by a totally drunk UT frat student because I was wearing an Austrian Loaden coat in the middle of the winter. So it goes...