--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Rich, poor, Panhandle, Gulf, city…" description: "\"Rich, poor, Panhandle, Gulf, city, country, Texas is the obsession, the proper study, and the passionate possession of all Texans.\" — John Steinbeck" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1b/john-steinbeck-71_cities_rich-poor-panhandle-gulf-city-country-te_363402.jpg" --- # Rich, poor, Panhandle, Gulf, city, country, Texas is the… ![“Rich, poor, Panhandle, Gulf, city, country, Texas is the obsession, the proper study, and the passionate possession of all Texans.” quote by John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1b/john-steinbeck-71_cities_rich-poor-panhandle-gulf-city-country-te_363402.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1b/john-steinbeck-71_cities_rich-poor-panhandle-gulf-city-country-te_363402.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1b/john-steinbeck-71_cities_rich-poor-panhandle-gulf-city-country-te_363402.jpg) > “Rich, poor, Panhandle, Gulf, city, country, Texas is the obsession, the proper study, and the passionate possession of all Texans.” [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote expresses how Texans are deeply attached to their state, treating it as a central, all‑consuming passion. **In simple terms:** Texans love their state intensely. Key Takeaway Embrace local pride responsibly. Themes regional identity culture attachment Mood proud reflective Type cultural observational When to use this quote - travel writing - state politics - community events - marketing campaigns Key Concepts statehood collective identity place attachment Questions to Reflect On - How does regional pride shape your actions? - When can pride become exclusionary? A Different Perspective May overlook other regions or perspectives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cities/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Obsession](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obsession/) [Passionate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passionate/) [Patriotism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriotism/) [Possession](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possession/) [Texan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/texan/) [Texas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/texas/) ## Related quotes > [Texas is a state of mind. Texas is an obsession. Above all else, Texas is a nation in every sense of the word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/texas-is-a-state-of-mind-texas-is-an-obsession-above-all-else-texas/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“I have said that Texas is a state of mind, but I think it is more than that. It is a mystique closely approximating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-have-said-that-texas-is-a-state-of-mind-but-i-think-it-is-more-than-2/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [What Texans can dream, Texans can do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/what-texans-can-dream-texans-can-do/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [At Odessa we became Texans, and proud of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/at-odessa-we-became-texans-and-proud-of-it/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [The enemy never sees the backs of my Texans!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/the-enemy-never-sees-the-backs-of-my-texans/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [When rough times have fallen upon our state in the past, Texans have always responded with generosity and an eagerness to help. The compassionate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-neugebauer/when-rough-times-have-fallen-upon-our-state-in-the-past-texans-have/) [Randy Neugebauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-neugebauer/) > [Humanism is not alive and well in Texas. Different colors and types of Texans do not like one another, nor do they pretend to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/humanism-is-not-alive-and-well-in-texas-different-colors-and-types-of/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [Cars aren't merely modes of transit or material possessions to Texans; they are something of a state treasure. We share a special, almost religious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-atkinson/cars-aren-t-merely-modes-of-transit-or-material-possessions-to-texans/) Jim Atkinson > [I love Texas because Texas is future-oriented, because Texans think anything is possible. Texans think big](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-gramm/i-love-texas-because-texas-is-future-oriented-because-texans-think/) [Phil Gramm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-gramm/) > [Texans ignore "better," long ago forgot the useless word "good." Everything in Texas is "best."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-smith/texans-ignore-better-long-ago-forgot-the-useless-word-good-everything/) [Edward Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-smith/) > [Many people have believed that they were Chosen, but none more baldly than the Texans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hoagland/many-people-have-believed-that-they-were-chosen-but-none-more-baldly/) [Edward Hoagland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hoagland/) > [Only Texans and Jews understand brisket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/only-texans-and-jews-understand-brisket/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [Texans don't bury their failures. They get inspired by them. They take their failures and turn them into rallying cries. Failure inspires Texans to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/texans-don-t-bury-their-failures-they-get-inspired-by-them-they-take/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [Texas is not a civilized place. Texans shoot one another a lot. They also knife, razor, and stomp one another to death with some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/texas-is-not-a-civilized-place-texans-shoot-one-another-a-lot-they/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [Alabama soldiers, all I ask of you is to keep up with the Texans!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/alabama-soldiers-all-i-ask-of-you-is-to-keep-up-with-the-texans/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) ## More by John Steinbeck > [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [Prayer never brought in no side-meat. Takes a shoat to bring in pork.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/prayer-never-brought-in-no-side-meat-takes-a-shoat-to-bring-in-pork/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“And now submarines are armed with mass murder, our silly, only way of deterring mass murder.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/and-now-submarines-are-armed-with-mass-murder-our-silly-only-way-of/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“I’d think there are degrees of greatness,” Adam said. “I don’t think so,” said Samuel. “That would be like saying there is a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-d-think-there-are-degrees-of-greatness-adam-said-i-don-t-think-so/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“He was forever inventing a new way of doing an old thing and doing it better and quicker, but he never in his whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/he-was-forever-inventing-a-new-way-of-doing-an-old-thing-and-doing-it/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“You come back a changed man. Samuel, you don’t change him. He changes you. I can see the look of him in your face.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/you-come-back-a-changed-man-samuel-you-don-t-change-him-he-changes/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [I find out of long experience that I admire all nations and hate all governments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-find-out-of-long-experience-that-i-admire-all-nations-and-hate-all/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [At about 10 o'clock in the morning the sun threw a bright dust-laden bar through one of the side windows and in and out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/at-about-10-o-clock-in-the-morning-the-sun-threw-a-bright-dust-laden/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [I have noticed that there is no dissatisfaction like that of the rich. Feed a man, clothe him, put him in a good house,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-have-noticed-that-there-is-no-dissatisfaction-like-that-of-the-rich/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“Who in his mind has not probe the dark water?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/who-in-his-mind-has-not-probe-the-dark-water/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [Sometimes, a lie is told in kindness. I don't believe it ever works kindly. The quick pain of truth can pass away, but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/sometimes-a-lie-is-told-in-kindness-i-don-t-believe-it-ever-works/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [People like you to be something, preferably what they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/people-like-you-to-be-something-preferably-what-they-are/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“Suddenly he knew joy and sorrow felted into one fabric. Courage and fear were one thing too. He found that he had started to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/suddenly-he-knew-joy-and-sorrow-felted-into-one-fabric-courage-and/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [I am writing this from what we Americans call Yurrp. In Yurrp writers are taken as seriously as Lana Turner's legs are in America…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-am-writing-this-from-what-we-americans-call-yurrp-in-yurrp-writers/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [I write because I like to write. I find joy in the texture and tone and rhythm of words. It is a satisfaction like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-write-because-i-like-to-write-i-find-joy-in-the-texture-and-tone/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) [Explore all 1,589 John Steinbeck quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) ## More Cities quotes > [Public infrastructure around the world is facing unprecedented stress, with hurricanes, cyclones, floods and forest fires all increasing in frequency and intensity. It's easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/public-infrastructure-around-the-world-is-facing-unprecedented-stress/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [Surely, if Mother Nature had been consulted, she would never have consented to building a city in New Orleans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-zuckerman/surely-if-mother-nature-had-been-consulted-she-would-never-have/) [Mortimer Zuckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-zuckerman/) > [Cities are 2% of the earth's crust, but they are 50% of the world's population.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlo-ratti/cities-are-2-of-the-earth-s-crust-but-they-are-50-of-the-world-s/) [Carlo Ratti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlo-ratti/) > [A man could be a lover and defender of the wilderness without ever in his lifetime leaving the boundaries of asphalt, powerlines, and right-angled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/a-man-could-be-a-lover-and-defender-of-the-wilderness-without-ever-in/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [All Germany was in turmoil. Revolutionaries seized power in the cities of Munich, Hanover and Cologne. One regional German government after another was toppled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cross-giblin/all-germany-was-in-turmoil-revolutionaries-seized-power-in-the-cities/) James Cross Giblin > [Nice is a city of ghosts and specters, but I hope not to become one of them right away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-modiano/nice-is-a-city-of-ghosts-and-specters-but-i-hope-not-to-become-one-of/) [Patrick Modiano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-modiano/) > [I know of not one Republican candidate that would not appear publicly with Mitt Romney and I know many Democrats that don't even want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-sessions/i-know-of-not-one-republican-candidate-that-would-not-appear-publicly/) [Pete Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-sessions/) > [ Just between you and me, shouldn’t the World Bank be encouraging MORE migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs \[Less Developed Countries\]?... I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/just-between-you-and-me-shouldn-t-the-world-bank-be-encouraging-more/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [We will neglect our cities to our peril, for in neglecting them we neglect the nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/we-will-neglect-our-cities-to-our-peril-for-in-neglecting-them-we/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [I didn't know the city at all, but I was so happy to be in New York I cried. I was so excited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/i-didn-t-know-the-city-at-all-but-i-was-so-happy-to-be-in-new-york-i/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [Outside of Paris, there is no hope for the cultured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moliere/outside-of-paris-there-is-no-hope-for-the-cultured/) [Moliere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moliere/) > [Dawn's faint breath breathes with your mouth at the ends of empty streets. Gray light your eyes, sweet drops of dawn on dark hills.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-pavese/dawn-s-faint-breath-breathes-with-your-mouth-at-the-ends-of-empty/) [Cesare Pavese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-pavese/) > [Vienna is a handsome, lively city, and pleases me exceedingly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-chopin/vienna-is-a-handsome-lively-city-and-pleases-me-exceedingly/) [Frederic Chopin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-chopin/) > [“We have grace of strength to work, to clear our cities of any dirt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-have-grace-of-strength-to-work-to-clear-our-cities-of-any-dirt/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [I was too tired to think. I merely felt the town as a unique unreality. What was it? I knew -- the moon's picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-was-too-tired-to-think-i-merely-felt-the-town-as-a-unique-unreality/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 7,153 Cities quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cities/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Rich, poor, Panhandle, Gulf, city, country, Texas is the obsession, the proper study, and the passionate possession of all Texans.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Steinbeck" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/rich-poor-panhandle-gulf-city-country-texas-is-the-obsession-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cities" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/rich-poor-panhandle-gulf-city-country-texas-is-the-obsession-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1b/john-steinbeck-71_cities_rich-poor-panhandle-gulf-city-country-te_363402.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1b/john-steinbeck-71_cities_rich-poor-panhandle-gulf-city-country-te_363402.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1b/john-steinbeck-71_cities_rich-poor-panhandle-gulf-city-country-te_363402.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Rich, poor, Panhandle, Gulf, city, country, Texas is the obsession, the proper study, and the passionate…” — John Steinbeck", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Steinbeck", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Rich, poor, Panhandle, Gulf, city, country,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/rich-poor-panhandle-gulf-city-country-texas-is-the-obsession-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/rich-poor-panhandle-gulf-city-country-texas-is-the-obsession-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```