Jim Cook

Half a Sack of Cats: Jim Cook's Version of His Raffish Youth

For sixty years, Arizona native Jim Cook has been writing about the Grand Canyon state in newspapers, magazines, and books. In 2005, Jim and his brother Dean, a songwriter and storyteller, were named Arizona Culturekeepers for their work in keeping alive the lore of Arizona. After a long career in journalism, Jim became the Official State Liar of Arizona. He is director of the Wickenburg Institute for Factual Diversity, which is a think tank for recreational liars, and a treatment center for recovering newspapermen. He also edits the institute's organ, The Journal of Prevarication. Long-term readers of Jim's tall tales often complain that they can't tell where truth ends and lies begin. Half a Sack of Cats is factual. It tells of Jim's unlikely childhood in Arizona, as Arizona used to be. Honest.