I used this book extensively during the three years I lived in Texas. I liked its mix of history and practical where, when, and how information.
Organized regionally around the major cities, the Texas Handbook also includes numerous towns and sights of interest in the surrounding vicinity and places between. It does a remarkably good job of covering such a large state.
Hopefully a new addition is in the works. Because it was published in 1998, most prices will be out-of-date, but it's so easy to now get hours & admission via web sites, that it's not that big of a problem once you've used the handbook to identify all the interesting places you want to visit.

Following a series of recommended drives throughout the Middle South from west to east, this compact little book provides an excellent listing of sights (including brief descriptions) that a reasonably intelligent reader might enjoy. I read it with highlighter in hand, marking the sights that appealed to me, an approach I recommend to others.

Mr. White appears to be an active bird-watcher (he apparently has written other books on that subject). Readers who share that interest will find this book particularly interesting, since he highlights the best bird-watching spots along the Gulf Coast.

Few states have so many varied regions with such distinct local flavors. This book brings to life the past and present. Leon Metz is well qualified to lasso the immensity of Texas and bring it under control. Metz takes the various regions of Texas and gives a sweeping historical account for each. He then concentrates on the towns and historical sites where the exciting adventures happened. Many illustrations and maps.

This book offers the best places for romance in and around Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Dallas/Fort Worth, Corpus Christi, the Rio Grande Valley and the Mexican border. Only those lodgings with special appeal have been selected, and all have been visited by the author - former Houston Chronicle editor.Table For Two sections profile the most intimate places to eat, where ambiance and service are as important as the food. But this is more than a guide to the best places to stay and eat. Activities that a couple will remember forever are also covered - balloon rides over the desert, romantic strolls under a starry sky, horseback trails into the wilderness. Contact names, telephone numbers and website addresses are given. Maps, index and photos, plus hand-drawn sketches.

My husband and I travelled to Texas on holiday and this book was brilliant it saved us time and helped us find things we wouldn't have found with out the help of this book. I would recommend it in an instant.

There is so much dry wit and humor in this book that I am afraid any levity I might try to inject in this review would pale in comparison. For that reason, I'll just give you my opinion and let the book more or less speak for itself.

The bottom line is that this tome is highly readable, humorous and educational at the same time. If there was a scale of average witticisms per page, I'm sure that Tandem Towns of Texas would hold the record.

As set out in the Introduction, the purpose is twofold: 1) to spotlight Texas communities that have quirky monikers and double-digit populations, and, 2) to group them together in pairings based on natural association, alliteration, or rhyme. For example, Beaukiss and Lovelady, Trickham and Dodge, Ding Dong and Bells.

Each page contains one of these pairings. Additionally, it tells the location of the towns, the derivation of the names, and the history of those towns, and (when needed) names spelled phonetically. The index has all of these names plus the population of each one.

After more than 150 of these matches, this book provides some additional zany information. This would include (an amazingly long list of) Texas towns with the first names of people (Alvin, Leona, Melissa) then a huge listing of odd names from the other 49 states (Tomato, AZ, Bliss, NY, Burnt Corn, AL). Finally, if you haven't had enough of this silliness, the authors provide a listing of books that also feature unusual town names throughout the U.S.

Found in the book is some pre-publication praise from John Troesser, editor and chief of a very popular history and travel magazine on the Internet. According to Troesser, "The table of contents itself is worth the price of admission for this delightful, witty, and (only slightly) thought-provoking book. Just what would Tarzan do in Notrees? There are perhaps six people in Texas capable of connecting Electria and Blanket. Bill and Clare Bradfield are two. The other four are blood relations who carry the same mysterious gene. . . Vattman and Robbins indeed" He concludes, "This books even a great way to travel from Munday to Friday without leaving your armchair."

Lots of Texas-themed food here, and recipes from famous people and restaurants. Some are really gourmet, others are stuff anyone could make, like your basic Texas bbq. Even though it's mostly a cookbook, I thought the best part was all the photos of Texas scenery. Very nice.

Bob Phillips is the Charles Kuralt of Texas and this book proves it. He has "it," the ability to connect with regular folks. Great, great book.

I bought this book before a trip to the Hill Country this past spring. One of the author's suggestions, which turned out to be the highlight of our trip, was to drive the Willow City Loop - we ended up driving it twice because it was so beautiful. We would have never found it without this book, and I've bought several other books similar to this one since our trip and not one of them mentions it.

I found this book on a roadtrip to West Texas and it became an indespensible resource for discovering Texas. Not only did we find many side trips while in the Permian Basin of West Texas, it opened a new window into the Hill Country around Austin, we visited many places that we would never have known existed. A companion book on was an indespensible part of a recent road trip I took with my kids through Wyoming. You cannot say you truly know a place unless you own one of these books for the state in which you live. The books open a whole new world of weekend excursions to places and things odd, quirky, historic and wonderful. I highly recommend any in this series.

A large-format (8.5x11", oblong) color photo book of Big Bend National Park and vicinity. Includes shots of canyons, deserts, ghost towns, local flora and fauna, park map. 60% photos, 40% text.