Bøger i Texas Experience, Books Made P serien

In this thoroughly researched account of the Battle of Coleto and subsequent massacre of Texian soldiers at the Presido La Bahía near the settlement of Goliad, Texas, author David E. Garlock describes the capture and brutal massacre of Colonel James Fannin's soldiers by the Mexican Army. While stationed at La Bahía, Col. Fannin--known to be stubborn and unpredictable, treating direct orders like suggestions--delayed for a crucial week after receiving orders from Sam Houston to quickly abandon the presidio. This allowed time for Mexican General José de Urrea's forces to secretly track Fannin's men and follow them until they were too far from the presidio to return. Thoroughly unprepared and caught in an open field, the outnumbered Texians were surrounded and forced to surrender. The captured men didn't realize their fate when Mexican soldiers divided them into three groups and began marching them down separate roads toward Victoria, San Antonio de Bexar, and San Patricio. Expecting to be freed, the men were suddenly told to kneel and were executed on orders from General Santa Anna--just a month before the war came to an end at San Jacinto. In a compelling and careful retelling of this narrative, Garlock weaves archival research with the diaries, memoirs, and correspondence of decision-makers and foot soldiers on both sides into a detailed history. Many blamed Urrea for reneging on an agreement with Fannin to parole the Texians back to the United States. However, a "secret" surrender document lay hidden for nearly a century. Signed by both Fannin and Urrea--it specified a "surrender at discretion," meaning no such guarantee of life was made. Three Roads to Death offers new perspectives and sets the record straight on the worst massacre in Texas history.

"On April 27, 1997, Richard Lance McLaren and his followers in the so-called "Republic of Texas (ROT)" militia held Joe and Margaret Ann Rowe hostage inside their own home at the Davis Mountain Resort, near Fort Davis, Texas, and demanded the release of two jailed ROT members Jo Ann Turner and Robert Jonathan Scheidt. McLaren's demand initiated a seven-day standoff with local law enforcement and the Texas Rangers that came to be called the "Republic of Texas War." Opening with a foreword by the FBI negotiator who served as an on-site consultant throughout the crisis, author Donna Marie Miller presents the first full-length book treatment of the events leading up to McLaren's "declaration of war" and its aftermath. The result is an absorbing account of manipulation by a leader as charismatic as he was deluded; of misinformed individuals motivated by desperation who aligned themselves with an extremist; and of law enforcement officials caught in the tension between their duty to protect the public and their desire to avoid a repeat standoff like those at Ruby Ridge, Idaho, and the Branch Davidian compound outside Waco, Texas. Central to the story is Jo Ann Turner, a frantic woman drowning in debt who was drawn into the false ideology espoused by McLaren, which eventually led to her personal undoing. Based on archival research and interviews with persons involved-including McLaren, who has been incarcerated since 1998-this riveting account provides a multifaceted perspective of the historical incident and a detailed chronicle of a modern American anti-government militia, its victims, and the events that led to its eventual downfall"--

Winner, 2020 Al Lowman Memorial Prize for Best Book on Texas County or Local History There is a deep and abiding connection between humans and the land in Pinto Canyon--a remote and rugged place near the border with Mexico in the Texas Big Bend. Here the land assumes a certain primacy, defined not by the ephemera of plants and animals but by the very bedrock that rises far above the silvery flow of Pinto Creek-- looming masses that break the horizon into a hundred different vistas. Yet, over time, people managed to survive and sometimes even thrive in this harsh environment. In the Shadow of the Chinatis combines the rich narratives of history, natural history, and archeology to tell the story of the landscape as well as the people who once inhabited it. Settling the land was difficult, staying on it even more so, but one family proved especially resilient. Rising above their meager origins, the Prietos eventually amassed a 12,000-acre ranch in the shadow of the Chinati Mountains to become the most successful of Pinto Canyon's early settlers. But starting with the tense years of the Great Depression, the family faced a series of tragedies: one son was killed by a Texas Ranger, and another by the deranged son of Chico Cano, the Big Bend's most notorious bandit. Ultimately, growing rifts in the family forced the sale of the ranch, marking the end of an era. Bearing the hallmarks of an epic tragedy, the departure of the Prieto family signaled a transition away from ranching towards a new style of landownership based on a completely different model. Today, Pinto Canyon's scenic and scientific value increasingly overshadows the marginal economics of its past. In the Shadow of the Chinatis reveals a rich tapestry of interaction between humans and their environment, providing a unique examination of the Big Bend region and the people who call it home.

"It might seem unlikely that a place designed for the departed could be teeming with life. Cemeteries have a long history of serving the dual purpose of honoring the deceased while also proving a space for the living to gather and grieve in the embrace of nature. Touted as some of the earliest public parks in the country -- with mature trees, open grasslands, meadows of wildflowers -- cemeteries are also attractive to birds and wildlife. In an age of distractions and disconnection, cemeteries create a sense of place where visitors can reconnect with nature while exploring the cultural history of a region. For bird watchers, cemeteries offer easy walking, open spaces to peer into habitats, and a peaceful place to feel the breeze and listen to the quiet conversations of nature.Cemetery Birding builds upon the unique and approachable experiences introduced in Jennifer L. Bristol's first book, Parking Lot Birding. While cemeteries offer accessible places to bird watch, Bristol highlights the need to tread carefully and ethically when exploring these sacred spaces. Her treatment of each of the nearly 100 locations provides information about what birds can be observed in various seasons and offers readers a snapshot of the cemetery and community's history. Filled with rich photos, Bristol deciphers headstone symbolism in 'Tombstone Tale'" and offers fun facts about individual species of birds in 'Tombstone Tails.' Locations range from the heart of Houston to the wide-open spaces of West Texas and every ecoregion in between"--

"According to author Joe Holley, the story of the Texas Electric Cooperatives, a collective of some 76 member-owned electric providers throughout the state, is a story of neighborliness and community, grit and determination, and persuasion and political savvy. It's the story of a grassroots movement that not only energized rural Texas but also showed residents the power they have when they band together to find strength in unity. Opening with the coming of electricity to Texas' major cities at the turn of the twentieth century, Power: How the Electric Co-op Movement Energized the Lone Star State describes the dramatic differences between urban and rural life. Though the major cities of Texas were marvels of nighttime brilliance, the countryside remained as dark as it had been for centuries before. It was not economical for the startup electrical companies to provide service to far-flung rural areas, so they were forced to do without. Beginning with the New Deal-era efforts of Sam Rayburn, Lyndon Johnson, and others, Holley chronicles the birth and development of the electric cooperative movement in Texas, including the 1935 federal act that created the Rural Electrification Administration. Holley concludes with the devastation wrought by Winter Storm Uri in February 2021 and the intense debate that continues around climate resilience and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), overseer of the state's electric grid, all of which has profound implications for rural electric cooperatives who receive their allocations according to procedures administered by ERCOT. Power is sure to enlighten, entertain, and energize readers and policymakers alike"--