Set deep in the wilds of Texas is Caddo Lake, a rich, primeval swampland populated by characters straight out of modern mythology. Central to this area’s history is Judge Newland and his extended circle of friends and kin—a.k.a., the BOND. Here, their story is told in a vivid, often convoluted fashion, as is befitting the true nature of the Texas wilderness.
Judge “Daddy” Newland knew—and was known by—everyone in this part of Texas, and his teachings were legendary. He urged his friends to seek truth and to ask for wisdom from God. He expected them to ask tough questions. He demanded that they keep their eyes against the seductive nature of evil and hate and that they look out for one another. He believed that nature was the only true beauty in the world and that it should always remain free. He knew that love was the most important of all emotions, followed only by hope—and that the two could never be separated. He directed his friends to look to the ancient world for truth and inspiration. And from those ancients, he formulated a deep appreciation for the pleasures of the flesh.
Daddy Newland directed his grandson, Kenneth Brown, to use his skills to share the teachings of his generation. Just as he was promised, those life lessons are within, ready to teach the next generation of Texans and beyond. “Fate brings interesting people together and then blesses the responsible,” he used to say, and that’s the core of his legacy.
