Joe Tom Davis is probably the most respected Texas Historian alive today. The stories he tells are bigger than life characters who in one way or another have affected Texas. His writing style is clear and consice without errors. His books are a joy to read over and over.

It was an interesting book. It gave an interesting view of the history and layout of the Southwest that gave way to the many interesting and varied stories and legends that have come out of the Southwest. J. Frank Dobie does a good job of picking out all of the good ones and puts them in book form.

From the back...
She purely terrified him--Hank Travis, a poor peanut farmer's son from South Texas, was no match for Miss Mary Margaret MacGregor. Hank had a dream. His future lay in the exploding Texas oil fields. But Mary had a plan. Her future lay with Hank! It was J.T.'s job to immortalize his grandfather's history for Crystal Creek, and for all of Texas, and it would have been a different tale indeed without the formidable Mary!

In my Opinion...
Hank has been a part of the Crystal Creek series since the very first book. It was great to read about his early years with Mary. Hank was not all that great a husband and father, considering he was always off chasing oil. He did, however, love Mary very much, and she loved him. Mary was a strong independent woman, and she had to be, to put up with Hank. Hank was a force to be reckoned with in the oil business. It was easy to see why he was so successful. It was sad that cranky old grandpa Hank died, but this was a fitting end to his character.

A very talented writer. The translation requirements of such a book dictate that Ms. Goyne must be a very talented individual and, obviously, very intelligent.

Jack Boyd's compilation of his newspaper columns are the perfect short stories for any occasion--either to pass the time, to tuck in the kids, or to entertain guests. He is able to take a slice of West Texas life and somehow make it strike a chord in the hearts of everyone from the West Texans themselves to the toughest urbanites. It's filled with humor, heart-warming drama, patriotism, gossip--everything that makes a small town worth living in, or at least visting and staying a while.

Connie Hagar lived the birder's dream: she settled on the Texas coast just a stone's throw from the wintering ground of the whooping crane, and spent just about every day of her life birding the various surrounding habitats. The location is the neck of the major north American migration flyway, and so there were new birds to be discovered every day. She also had a photographic memory, and recounted detail after exciting detail, bird by bird, to her biographer. Most amusing are her encounters with the high and mighty of birding deans; remember that this was long before women's lib. Most amazing are the accounts of the fallout of migrating birds-and sometimes devastation--caused by storms. Her supportive husband ran their motel court, and so they were able to play host to many notable birders. By the time Roger Tory Peterson visited, her reputation was well-established. Public speaking and a leadership role in nature organizations made her known to thousands. The author is a journalist, and the book is smoothly written and factual.

Few books capture the spirit of the American West so well. Billy Dixon participated in both the battle of Adobe Walls and the Buffalo Wallow fight. His accounts of these battles and experiences of life on the frontier have been plagiarized by screen writers for decades.

Mr. Dixon was a humble man with determination, ability, and grit the likes of which are seldom seen. This combination of humility and awesome ability make him a real-life hero and legend, deserving a place in the American consciousness on the level of Daniel Boone.

If you have read "On the Border With Crook", you will also love this book.

This book is the real life depiction of my great uncle Luis Lopez. He told us stories about his life there long before the book was published. I was surprised at the accuacy of it.

This is a book with all the answers to anything a person may want to know about Texas lighthouses, including their construction, history, and all of the data about them. It's really complete and exhaustive but not at all dull to people who like lighthouses. I think all Texas lighthouse lovers should have this book.

I have just finished Living Next Door to the Death House and really appreciated the good writing. The book was excellent! It has been very helpful to me in my work as a Methodist pastor; during Advent I did a series of lectures on "tough issues" and thought that Homosexuality or separation of Church and State/Prayer in our schools would be the most passionate subjects, but I was amazed in that the Death Penalty was, by far, the most passionate and difficult for many. I have learned that I can talk about why I am against the Death Penalty, but I have not had a loved one murdered...... the stories I have heard from my members have humbled me and I continue to learn that this whole subject is very complex. This book takes so many of the sides and I found it to be very helpful. I will suggest it to my people here that are struggling. Again, I commend the Owenses for their excellent book.