Texas Books

An excellent well written book ! Being a descendent of one of the early pioneers of South Texas, this book really open up my eyes on how our early ancestors used the natural resources around them to built their homes and where proud of them. It also describes how the unity in the family helped them cope with the struggles of goverment changes. This book takes you back in time as if you where there to see it. This is a book everyone who is interested in early South Texas History must read. My hats off to Andres Tijerina.

Tijerina states that, "Tejanos founded the ranching frontier on their land grants... were the founders of the State of Texas". I agree that only Tejanos have lived and fought under six flags and that Tejanos are here to stay. Tejano Empire is a bold book, well documented, and difficult to lay aside once opened by a reader. Stories handed down for generations are finally put into print. Beasley's sketches depict tejano stories that will live forever. Bravo - Andres Tijerina and thank you.

Being a descendant of a pioneer ranch family in Duval County since the 1860's, Rancho San Buenaventura; after reading Tejano Empire it brings out the spirit of my greatgrandfather's and so many other rancheros of that era's way of life. I think this book will bring back self confidence to the many families in South Texas with ranching roots. With this book Tijerina helps fill the void of the much neglected history of the ranchos in South Texas from a Tejano point of view. The beautiful illustrations by Ricardo M. Beasley and Servando Hinojosa are also an additional plus. A definite book to add to anyones collection if you're into Texas history.

Clay Reynolds struck a home run with this wonderfully enlightening book about turning a hopeless situation about a 1850's guy who's profession is a Tent maker that decides to go west and gets himself into trouble, fame and fortune and back.
I've ordered over 10 of them and given them to friends.....
Their opinion of the book is the same as ours....Wonderful.

Jim

I have been reading Clays Reynolds' works since Franklins Crossing, and find each one to be even more enjoyable than the previous. I didn't just read The Tentmaker, I devoured it. The characters are well rounded, and truly breathe with a life of their own on the pages. I found myself identifying with Gil Hooley as if I had known him all my life. I could clearly see him throwing up his hands and yelling, "WHAT?!" with every encounter he had with Margot Phillips, the red-haired Madam. And as for Margot, she is without doubt the most vexing, stubborn, irritating, alluring woman I have seen in some time. I found myself laughing out loud each time she would browbeat Hooley into doing what she wanted, and then berate him for doing it with the next breath. Hooley is a man, who through the accident of fate, ends up becoming everything he has never really wanted to be. And as a result of this, is placed in the very uncomfortable position of having to defend what he never really wanted in the first place. And through his actions, he becomes a hero, albeit, a reluctant hero. This is a well written, and extremely engaging book. Whether or not you are a fan of Western Fiction, and if you never read another book of this genre, read this book. You won't regret it.

This is one of best tales I've come across in years. The hapless Gil Hooley is constantly trying to find a quiet place to read and smoke his pipe, yet the camp he established quickly becomes a settlement, and is determined to grow into a town. The poor guy, everything he says comes out wrong, so he is forced into situations that could have been avoided. Clay Reynolds has created a winner, not to be missed.

It's like a museum in a book! All of the Eyewitness books are that way. I'd recommend any of them. Texas is a great addition to that collection. Works great for homeschooling too.

The latest title in the outstanding DK Publishing "Eyewitness Books" series, Texas is a fun and fact-filled book for young readers about the great American state of Texas. From Texas geography and climate, to its sometimes violent history, to what life as a cowboy was really like, and a great deal more, Texas combines extensive research, amiable narration, and a wealth of outstanding color photographs to teach young readers ages 8 and older all about the proud heritage the Lone Star State.

A great book for advanced second graders and above. The facts are succint and interesting, which makes it perfect for the teacher to read before talking about the Lone Star State. The illustrations and the facts are both well done. Numerous discussions can be started from this well written book. Facts are on almost any aspect of the state including, the cities, geography, animals, plants, populations, type of government, the Alamo, etc.

When I first read this book, I had never heard of this author, so I didn't know what to expect. I love to read historical Christian romances and have probably read hundreds of them, but I can honestly say that this one is my all-time favorite. I have reread it about 10 times and it still has me laughing out loud each time I read it. The characters are unique and hilarious as they interact with each other, revealing their own human faults and imperfections, but at the same time using them to change their lives for the better.

All four novels in this anthology are connected, and each one has its own merit! Rachel Branigan cannot convince the town that she was attacked and she and her child are labeled because of it. This doesn't deter Rev. Caleb Stone who believes her and loves her and her baby girl. Lawman Lee Cutler keeps wondering why Patience Primrose keeps batting her eyelashes at him - until he discovers she's been reading Emma Hadley's book on how to catch a man! Circumstances, however, bring out the true Patience and everyone is surprised at this happy ending! Susannah Butler is the schoolteacher and the way is not easy for her and Bobby Joe Aaron as family secrets come to the surface and their love has to grow almost in spite of circumstances. Billy Ray Aaron, Bobby Joe's brother, catches a pickpocket who turns out to be a 19-year-old blonde attraction to him! He almost forfeits his job as Sheriff to save her, and all characters come into play in this final story of the four. Altogether, these complete novels are well written and the men and women are very real and three-dimensional - you see them as they really are and they react in wonderfully human ways. I recommend this book highly and I know you won't be sorry to enjoy this inspirational romance anthology. It's even difficult for me to enjoy regular library books now that I've discovered Barbour anthologies like this! I hope you enjoy TEXAS BELLES as much as I have!

If you have never read a book in this series, than you are in for a real treat. There are four historical christian romances in this one book. Each one is just shy of 100 pages. In addition, all four stories are connected in location and character. So the charters you meet in the first story come back in all of the others.

Now for a recap of each story:
1. A girl is judged by the entire town and charged guilty of commiting a sin of which she is innocent. A new astor comes to town and falls in love with her. But she is afraid her past will prevent them having a future. Do they have to move to a new town? Will she ever be cleared of her crime?

2. The sheriff is looking for a bride, little does he know one lady has already named him asa her future husband, but as luck would have it, she is the lsat woman on the earth he would ever want to marry. But all of sudden he can't seem to get her out of his mind. Does the sheriff marry this girl? Does she give up on him and marry someone else?

3. Susannah has a secret, well afew, to be perfectly honest. Her dad sent her to a twon to complete a muission, she never intended to complete. Now her time is almost up and the man that she loves just asked her to marry him in a marriage of convience. Does Susannah mary him eventhough he doesn't return her love? Does her dad ruin her happiness by taking her away from her love?

4. An outlaw has been caught by the town sheriff. She should go to jail but the judge sentences her a three month period of reform where she will learn to be a Christian, and a lady. However, during this time she falls in love, guess with who. . . the sherrif who arrested her. Will they fight thwie love forever? Or will this end happily ever after?

When president George W. Bush July 5th and 6th 2005 visited Denmark he brought with him a present to the Danish prime minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen. It was "The Texas Cowboys".

This is a book of superlative photography, capturing the essence of the Texas cowboy and his life--the dirt, the work, the gear, the animals, the life. Stoecklein has a love for the West that dances joyously through his work.

This is Mr. Stoecklein's finest work to date! Through his camera lens were able to get a close up view of the life of a Texas Cowboy and his natural surrondings. What is most interesting about this photo essay is that it shows the diversity of Texas and how the cowboys have adapted to the land. One of my best friends is a Cowboy from Pampa, Texas and he went nuts for this book. Full of beautiful photography and illustrations, and imformative text, this is a must for anybody who shares a passion for the American West and what it stands for.

I live in Austin, TX and wanted to find out where I could take my dogs and let them really run. Well, not only did this guidebook tell me what areas allow leash-free dogs (and it turns out the Austin area has a lot more than I ever knew!), but it gave great anecdotal descriptions of the various trails, facilities, etc. I've taken the pups on four walks so far (I've had the book a month) based on recommendations in this book and the descriptions were dead on accurate.

Dogs, Larry D. Hodge has concluded, are like American Express Cards. "Some people won't leave home without them," says the Mason free-lance writer. That's the idea behind Hodge's new book, "The Texas Dog Lover's Companion" (Foghorn Press, $20.95). Hodge has "the inside scoop on where to take your dog" in the Lone Star State. It's the seventh "Dog Lover's Companion" volume from the California publisher. Hodge, who writes about travel and the outdoors for a number of Texas publications, including the San Antonio Express-News, says a guide for dog lovers didn't initially set his tail to wagging. He writes in the book's introduction: "Traveling dogs are a common sight in Texas ... What's the big deal? In Texas we just tell the dog to get in the back of the truck with the kids." Editors at Foghorn Press pressed him. They wanted listings of Rover-friendly restaurants, festivals, hotels and motels. They wanted to know where pet owners can walk a dog without a leash. Hodge approaches the subject matter with humor and humility. To conduct research, Hodge traveled mostly with Sport, a Rhodesian Ridgeback/handsome stranger mix, and sometimes with Samantha, an Australian blue heeler mix. The author, who confesses to sneaking both dogs into a Corpus Christi motel that doesn't allow pets ("We spent the entire time keeping them quiet"), was "surprised at how many motels openly welcome dogs." At more than 600 pages, "The Texas Dog Lover's Companion" is well-researched. You can bet Hodge did his homework, ranking park areas by a system of paws - four paws being the, er, cat's meow. The lowest rating is a fire hydrant, or as Hodge writes, "That means the park is just worth a squat." Two parks in San Antonio got 31/2 paws - Martin Luther King Park and Southside Lions Park. The latter "is as good as it gets for a dog in Texas," Hodge says. Another South Texas favorite is Dwight D. Eisenhower Park. "It has great walking trails and great views of the San Antonio skyline," Hodge says. The biggest surprise in researching the book was "how many closet dog people are out there who keep a dog at their place of business all day ... everything from book stores to dress shops to restaurants to motels. "The minute I said something about doing a guide book for dogs they would turn and get real friendly," Hodge says. In all, the book lists more than 400 places to chow down, hundreds of places to stay the night and nearly 500 parks, beaches, forests and wildlife areas, as well as doggy do's and don'ts, safety tips, rules of dining etiquette and hints on avoiding pooper- scooper faux "paws." Plus, "The Texas Dog Lover's Companion" is illustrated with delightful cartoons by Phil Frank.

The carpet in the back of my sport utility vehicle is still full of coarse, reddish hair, and I'm in no hurry to clean it out. That's where Rosie, our six-year-old Golden Retriever, used to ride. We took her to parks and beaches when we could, which in retrospect was not anywhere near often enough. Rosie was part of our family. She was our first "child" and later, Deputy Mom and Big Sister to our daughter Hallie. Like all good dogs, for her the term "unconditional love" was redundant. Last summer, as Hallie played in our front yard, someone driving a blue pickup truck ran over Rosie when she ran out in the street. The person who did it--Hallie says it was a man (only in the sense of his gender)--kept driving. Rosie was left writhing on the pavement with a broken back. Using a blanket, Linda and I got her into my truck and rushed her to an emergency veterinary clinic. After looking at an X-ray, the vet said there was nothing we could do for her but put her down. So, with the wisdom that only sad hindsight brings, if you have a beloved family pet, do things with it as frequently as you can, while you can. And buy a copy of a book funny enough to dry the tears from my eyes when I think about Rosie and the kind of person who would hit a 75-pound dog and not stop, while a little girl watched: "The Texas Dog Lover's Companion" by Larry D. Hodge (Foghorn Press, 656 pages, $20.95). The book is the first-ever Texas travel guide for people with dogs. It lists places where dogs are welcome, rating them on a scale of a fireplug (suitable only for "dewatering" your dog) to one to four paws, depending on the dog-friendliness factor. A good book offers more than its title suggests, and "The Texas Dog Lover's Companion" is a good book. What makes it good is that Hodge has personalized it, crafting it as something of a Texas-only version of "Travels with Charlie." Unlike John Steinbeck, whose faithful canine companion was Charlie, Hodge traveled with two dogs, Sport and Samantha.

Hodge could have written a simple, to-the-point guidebook, but his Steinbeck-like opus is full of observation and insight into Texas as well as the human and canine condition. Writing about a park in Houston, for instance, he mentions that he went to a nearby branch library to re-read a passage from the classic novel, "Old Yeller," by the late Mason writer Fred Gipson. Hodge and his two dogs put 25,000 miles on his sport utility vehicle (Hodge says his Sport appreciates the fact that Detroit bestowed her name on a whole vehicular genre) in researching "The Texas Dog Lover's Companion." Following a 20-page, philosophy-filled introductory overview on traveling with dogs (and in which Sport and Samantha are brought on stage), Hodge covers the state region by region. He and his co-researchers sniffed their way across the state, checking parks, places to eat and sleep and even places where you can take your pet shopping. Hodge found most of Texas pretty accommodating when it comes to dogs, but it's clear that he didn't mind leaving Lubbock in his rearview mirror. "Unfortunately, for dogs there are few positives," Hodge writes of Lubbock. "Dogs must be leashed everywhere, and we could find few places that actually welcomed them. For dogs, anyway, Lubbock seems destined to remain a stop on the way to someplace better." One "someplace better," he wrote, is Amarillo. Hodge likes its climate and friendliness -- to people and their pooches. Hodge's guidebook is a sometimes funny and always entertaining and useful travel reference even if you aren't traveling with Rover. If a hotel, eating place or park won't accept dogs, who would want to go there anyway? As Hodge writes, "Texas is going to the dogs. And it's about time." Hodge's book is a delightful salute to Texas and to dogs, from Old Yeller to Sport, Samantha and -- in sentiment, to Rosie. "It's the land that brings out what's inside us," Hodge quotes one savvy Big Bend resident as saying about her corner of Texas. "There's a beauty and clarity I believe you find only in open spaces." And, Hodge adds, "in the eyes of a dog."

This book is full of great informaton for the Texas History buff. Not only information about the flags but what percipitated the need for the flag.

I bought this book for my Dad for Christmas and he loved it! He is a big TX History guy and this book was perfect for him.

If you like flags, history and Texas this is the book for you. Extremely well written, researched and illustrated. The computer graphics are excellant, the large flag pictures are some of the best that I have seen. A must have for any Texan or flag lover.

Texas Food Companies: A Tasty Guide by Texas author Rhonda Cloos is a unique and impressive, encyclopedia-style reference to over one hundred food companies located within the confines of the Lone Star State. Each entry contains a brief history of the company, information on food factory tours, and buying and ordering information in order to get hold of company foodstuffs. A web guide to ordering favorite foods online make the mouth-watering ingredients listed in Texas Food Companies effectively available to all. Whether as a specialized travel guide reference for visitors or for gourmet cooks seeking direct order ingredients for Texas ethnic cuisines, Texas Food Companies is a welcome and highly recommended reference.

This is a cover to cover must-read for any "foodie", from the serious food historian to chefs, to serious or amateur home cooks, Texans, Texas travellers, and on and on...
The author captures the essence of culinary company history, proving that the Texas heart is as big as its lore. From chocolate to bar-b-q, settle in for a mouth-watering ride across the Lone Star State. You'll be wanting to fill your chuckwagon along the way!

This is one of the finest books(non fiction ) that I have ever read. The mouth-watering contents are truly revealing and the writing is concise and very informative. Rhonda Cloos has the gift of making one almost taste the scrumptious contents of thisbook. I recommend this Texas Food Company guide to anyone who appreciates the culinary arts. Reviewer: Bob Cohen Evanston,Il.

This book has been a great help and a pleasure to thumb through. I just wish there was a newer version.

A very comprehensive review and rating of 400+ golf courses from the Colonial country club to the Falfurrias,Tx muni!! If you've ever played a round of golf in Texs, your course is probably listed and rated. Excellent descriptions of the top 300.A few minor errors like calling Hole No.1 of the Woodlands TPC No.13, and a photo of a hole on Portland's Northshore CC which isn't there. But a big bang for your $$$$$ , and a true collector's item, or coffee table book.

This book is one of the most complete books ever written on golf in the state; one part photo album, one part history book and one part travel guide. A large book with a large attitude.

The collaboration of Scott Cohen (Executive Chef of Las Canarias restaurant in San Antonio, Texas and the Pesca restaurant on the River in the Watermark Hotel and Spa) and food critic and author Marian Betancourt, "The Texas Hill Country Cookbook: A Taste Of Provence" is a showcase compendium of French influenced contemporary Texas cuisine. Superbly enhanced throughout with full color images of finished dishes by award winning food photographer Ron Manville, the recipes are organized into chapters dealing with appetizers; salads and sandwiches; fish, meat, and poultry; vegetables and side dishes; desserts; glazes and rubs. Replete with insightful and practical tips for preparing these memorable dishes, of special note are the many suggestions having to do with presentation and plating. From Squash Blossom Roasted Corn Huitlacoche Soup; Young Spinach and Goat Cheese Salad; Roasted Chilean Sea Bass; and Texas Pecan-Crusted Chicken Skewers; to Texas Home Fries; Honey Lavender Ice Cream; Chocolate and Roasted pepper Cheesecake; and Barbecue Pepper Glaze, each of these 'kitchen cook friendly' recipes would grace any dining occasion with gourmet quality meals.

I have tryed several of the recipies and they went great. I loved the presentation photos and it was easy to make my version very impressive.
Great read and a beautiful book to put out on the coffee table and share with friends.

This cookbook is a must-have for home cooks who like the distinctive flavors of Texas (chiles, pecans, beef) served up in sophisticated and innovative ways. The recipes are clear and easy to follow, the photos are luscious, and I love the emphasis on buying locally and eating sustainably.