Oklahoma Is Where I Live

and Other Things on My Mind

Oklahoma Is Where I Live is an autobiographical collection of short stories, mostly nonfiction, from the author of the award-winning, visionary fiction novel, The Lhasa Trilogy. 

Storytelling is an Oklahoma tradition, dating back to a Native American past. Like any true Okie, it is in Gary Conrad’s roots to tell his story — the ups, the downs, the in betweens. 

“Each and every one of us has a book buried inside ourselves about precious, sacred moments in our lives,” says Conrad. “My fondest hope is that Oklahoma Is Where I Live will help you to recall stories of your own — ones, if you so wish, you can share with others.” 

Travel with Conrad into times of laughter, tears, success, failure and moments that challenged him to the very core of his being. Included are: 

Oklahoma’s Favorite Son
Just for Fun
   The First Kiss
   Varmints
   The Sweet Tooth
On Being a Man
   A Moment of Glory
   Male Bonding
   Breaking Down a Door
   Fatherhood 
On Being a Doctor
   The Wall
   A Hairy Experience
   Officer Goodspeed
   The Sinus Infection
   Doctor Sather
   The Scream
Musings
   Crossword Puzzles
   Doing Small Things with Great Love
   A Story of Grandparents’ Love
   A Helping Hand
   The Kauri Forest
Challenges
   The Miracle
   A Man of God
   Sports Hips
   The Execution
   Zoe
Pure Fantasy
   The Poetry Muse
   In Search of Haydn
More Fun
   The La-Z-Boy Recliner
   Time-Less
   The Invasion of the Pack Rats

Praise for Oklahoma Is Where I Live—

“Gary Conrad is a storyteller in the Oklahoma tradition of Will Rogers. He shares his very personal experiences and the insights and wisdom he has gained as a compassionate physician and spiritual seeker. A satisfying read.” —Andrew Weil, MD, author of Spontaneous Happiness and 8 Weeks to Optimum Health

“Oklahoma Is Where I Live is a sassy, juicy collection of reminiscences of growing up and coming of age in the American heartland. Conrad’s essays have an archival flavor for a past we must remember, as America becomes increasingly urbanized.” —Larry Dossey, MD, author of Healing Words:  The Power of Prayer and the Practice of Medicine, and Executive Editor of Explore: The Journal of Science and Healing

“A genuine storyteller, Gary Conrad shares precious, thought provoking, funny, heartwarming and profound anecdotes. Oklahoma Is Where I Live is a treasure!” —Joan Korenblit, Executive Director, Respect Diversity Foundation

“It may be true, as Conrad states, that Will Rogers was ‘Oklahoma’s greatest storyteller.’ But Conrad’s not a bad storyteller himself! His stories about being a boy, a father, a doctor, and a liberal are all set in Oklahoma. Yes, a liberal in Oklahoma; there are still some of us around! As he insists, it’s possible to love the state—its beauty, diversity, friendliness, etc.—without fitting into its overwhelmingly ‘red’ political status these days. Conrad’s account of his activism against capital punishment is alone enough to show that he doesn’t fit in. ‘I have nothing against conservatism,’ he writes, ‘but I struggle with minds that are closed, whether conservative or liberal.’ Indeed. Oklahomans of all persuasions should enjoy and benefit from this book, but it deserves a broader audience as well.” —Davis D. Joyce, author of Howard Zinn: A Radical American Vision, and editor of “alternative views” of Oklahoma history,  “An Oklahoma I Had Never Seen Before” and Alternative Oklahoma

“Like Oklahoma’s favorite son, Will Rogers, Gary Conrad is a genuine storyteller. This collection of sometimes funny, sad, or compelling stories is important in the preservation of history. The excitement jumps off the page when he describes something as mundane as his first kiss, or as he painfully relates the last moments of a death row inmate’s life. There are hilarious stories about strange objects taken from a patient during surgery and the gut-wrenching care for victims of the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. 

“After all, Gary Conrad’s life is like our own existence — filled with hills and valleys. Fortunately, he has emptied his soul of his remembrances and has fulfilled his obligation to pass along the stories of his life to the following generations.” —Bob Burke, attorney, Oklahoma historian and author of Opala: In Faithful Service to the Law

“I found this book interesting at a number of levels: it is the first example I have seen in a study of more than four hundred Oklahoma memoirs whose author is considerably younger than I am. It is also the only one to reflect upon life on the south side of Oklahoma City defined by U.S. Grant HS. Others will find the author’s accounts of tornadoes, time in the Friendship community of SW Oklahoma, trying to raise chickens at Guthrie and similar stories of interest as well. I found the book most interesting, however, as the account of his growth as a physician and person. His paths toward those accomplishments range from the inspirational to what I found off the wall. Together, these qualities meant that I found his book both entertaining and informative and would like to see more of his memories in print.” —Alvin O. Turner, Ph.D., Oklahoma historian and poet 

About the Author, Gary D. Conrad—

Gary D. Conrad is a native Oklahoman who lives with his wife, Sheridan, and their dogs, Inky and Karma, in Edmond, Oklahoma. His interests include Tibetan rights, meditation, the music of Joseph Haydn, organic gardening, choral work and wilderness hiking. 

He received his undergraduate diploma from Oklahoma State University, his M.D. degree from the University of Oklahoma, and since 1978 has been a practitioner of emergency medicine.  He has also completed the fellowship in integrative medicine at the University of Arizona.

Gary’s first book is the award-winning visionary novel, The Lhasa Trilogy.  Oklahoma Is Where I Live: and Other Things on My Mind is his second book, and he is currently working on a murder mystery, titled Murder on Easter Island.