Red Dirt Diaries: OK History Book Released After 10 Years Of Writing

One of the most detailed books on the history of Oklahoma was just released this week.

John Dwyer’s “The Oklahomans: The Story of Oklahoma and Its People” is now on sale and will eventually end up in many Oklahoma classrooms.

“I had no idea that we have such an epic and magnificent history,” said Dwyer, who moved back to Oklahoma from Texas to write the book.

“What I am in essence is a storyteller,” said Dwyer, who did much of his research for the book at the Oklahoma History Center and teaches a class on Oklahoma history at Southern Nazarene University.

Dwyer thanks Oklahoma History Center employees for their guidance especially when it came to finding images for the book from the more than 10 million available at the History Center.

“I’m a little obsessive compulsive which can be difficult, but it was helpful in a book like this,” said Dwyer.

In fact, it took Dwyer ten years to write the book, and he’s still not done telling Oklahoma’s story.

Dwyer’s book is the first of two volumes. The second, which will detail Oklahoma’s history all the way to present, will be released on Statehood day, November 16, 2018.