Bøger udgivet af Texas A&M University Press

"In The Texas Lowcountry: Slavery and Freedom on the Gulf Coast, 1822-1895, author John R. Lundberg examines slavery and Reconstruction in a region of Texas he terms the lowcountry-an area encompassing the lower reaches of the Brazos and Colorado Rivers and their tributaries as they wend their way toward the Gulf of Mexico through what is today Brazoria, Fort Bend, Matagorda, and Wharton Counties. In the two decades before the Civil War, European immigrants, particularly Germans, poured into Texas, sometimes bringing with them cultural ideals that complicated the story of slavery throughout large swaths of the state. By contrast, 95 percent of the white population of the lowcountry came from other parts of the United States, predominantly the slaveholding states of the American South. By 1861, more than 70 percent of this regional population were enslaved people-the heaviest such concentration west of the Mississippi. These demographics established the Texas Lowcountry as a distinct region in terms of its population and social structure. Part one of The Texas Lowcountry explores the development of the region as a borderland, an area of competing cultures and peoples, between 1822 and 1840. The second part is arranged topically and chronicles the history of the enslavers and the enslaved in the lowcountry between 1840 and 1865. The final section focuses on the experiences of freed people in the region during the Reconstruction era, which ended in the lowcountry in 1895. In closely examining this unique pocket of Texas, Lundberg provides a new and much needed region-specific study of the culture of enslavement and the African American experience"--

"In memory of Greg W. Lasley, award-winning wildlife photographer, consummate naturalist, and selfless friend..."--ECIP page 4.

"Just as the time of the vaquero is near to running its course, the days of the full-time sheep and goat shearers -- tasinques -- are coming to a close. So asserts author Robert Aguero, son and grandson of tasinques and recipient of the proud tradition of those who labored with their hands in the dusty corrals of the Nueces River Valley and the Edwards Plateau, harvesting the wool and mohair that fueled the industry known by the shearers and their families as la trasquila. Aguero, himself a veteran of the shearing sheds, offers stories and perspectives gleaned both from personal experience and interviews with dozens of individuals intimately connected with the Central Texas wool and mohair industry. From the docienteros -- virtuosos able to shear 200 animals or more per day -- to the rancheros -- the owners of the ranches who hired the shearing crews, year after year -- Aguero has captured the essence of a way of life that is rapidly passing into history. The work opens with a foreword by esteemed historian Arnoldo De Leâon. A host of photographs accompanies the narrative, capturing visually the dust, sweat, and noise of the atajo -- the shearing pen -- along with the pride in accomplishment that characterizes the tasinque tradition. Robert Aguero's Shearing Sheep and Angora Goats the Texas Way: A Legacy of Pride both documents and pays homage to an honored way of life and livelihood that is disappearing from the region"--

"The Llano Estacado covers some 48,000 square miles of western Texas and eastern New Mexico. In this new survey of the region, the story begins during prehistoric times and with descendants of the Comanche, Apache, and other Native American tribal groups. Other groups have also left their marks on the area: Spanish explorers, Comancheros and other traders, European settlers, farmers and ranchers, artists, and even athletes. Carlson reviews "the Llano's historic contours from its earliest foundations to its energetic present," and in doing so, he skillfully narrates the story of the region up to the present time of modern agribusiness and urbanization. Throughout the ten chronologically arranged chapters, concise sidebars support the narrative, highlighting important and interesting topics such as the enigmatic origins of the region's name, fascinating geological and paleontological facts, the arrival of humans, the natural history of bison, colorful "characters" in the history of the region, and many others. The resulting broad synthesis captures the entirety of the Llano Estacado, summarizing and interpreting its natural and human history in a single, carefully researched and clearly written volume"--

"For years, veteran Houston photographer Ray Viator has followed the trail rides that lead up to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and has captured the color, the camaraderie, and the flavor of this popular annual event. In All Trails Lead to Houston: Riding to the Rodeo, which opens with a foreword from Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo COO Emeritus Leroy "Shafe" Shafer, Viator's stunning photographs are accompanied by brief narratives and informative sidebars that provide insight into life on a trail -- from sunrise to sunset. The trail rides began in January 1952, when Brenham rancher Reese Lockett and five friends were having lunch in Houston the conversation turned to the joys of riding horses and its place in the Texas ranching tradition. Ultimately, the conversation sparked a challenge and an idea: stage a trail ride from Brenham to Houston as a way of publicizing and promoting the annual Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, formerly known as the Houston Fat Stock Show and Livestock Exposition. Viator provides readers with colorful descriptions of the riders, horses, wagons, and western traditions celebrated each day on each of the twelve rides. All Trails Lead to Houston is a celebration of Texas, western ranching heritage, and culture. That first Salt Grass Trail Ride -- named after the predominant source of grazing for cattle ranchers on the Texas Coastal Plain -- started with Lockett, his friend and fellow rancher Emil H. Marks, and two others. But they were soon joined by more than a dozen other riders. By 1959, participation had soared to more than 90 wagons and 2,000 riders. In the years since, more rides, each covering a different route to Houston have been organized with thousands of riders from all over Texas"--

"Follow the lives of a resident family of American oystercatchers as you explore the diversity of an estuary, where rivers meet the sea, in Matagorda Bay. Celebrate the unique ecology of the bay as its own little world of Texas estuaries, the "nurseries of the sea." Matagorda Magic: The Hidden Life of a Texas Bay reveals the importance of these features as critical habitats for more than 200 species of resident and migratory birds, including the endangered whooping crane. Estuaries are among the most productive ecosystems on Earth. In Texas, these places sustain sea life and provide critical habitat for hundreds of species. Estuaries also filter out pollution, buffer the shore from storms, sequester carbon, and offer recreational opportunities. Yet estuaries are commonly viewed as nothing more than mosquito-infested wastelands. In Texas alone, approximately 50 percent of coastal wetlands have been destroyed in the last century. During that same time, half of oyster reefs have disappeared. Such losses show the disconnect between people and estuaries as well as the widespread lack of understanding about the importance of these vital ecosystems. Matagorda Magic addresses this misunderstanding by inviting young people, their families, and teachers to discover the wonder of estuaries through the lives of their animal inhabitants as they contend with challenges on a Texas bay. Sidebars illuminate the fascinating lives of oystercatchers, whooping cranes, oysters, blue crabs, shrimp, spotted seatrout, and other animals who depend on estuaries for survival. By offering an intimate glimpse into these hidden lives, this book informs, nurtures, and deepens a love of place that in turn inspires stewardship"--

While successful developments in aviation receive considerable attention, the projects that failed or otherwise did not live up to expectations receive far less, if any, scrutiny. Typically, unsuccessful efforts are briefer in duration and have a less visible paper trail. Thus, while the literature is rich in success stories, we tend to "forget" or simply bury our failures. And, as one observer has suggested, "that there were failures, mistakes, and wrong turns reminds us that progress is not inevitable, that acknowledged error can be as instructive as success, and that roads not taken impose a price all their own." Here, author Kenneth P. Werrell tells of a race to overcome obstacles--politics, resources, competing technologies, timing--in the quest to deliver quality, if not war-winning machinery. The focus of Air Force Disappointments, Mistakes, and Failures: 1940-1990 is on aircraft (e.g., bombers, fighters, transports) and missiles (e.g., cruise missiles, standoff missiles, ballistic missiles, surface-to-air missiles, air-to-air missiles). An intelligence system is also evaluated. These case studies give the context and details of the development, testing, and, as appropriate, operational service. Highlighting the problems and criticisms of these systems then provides an opportunity to determine what went wrong. The reasons for the failures of these systems vary from the obvious (money, delays, technical problems) to more complex reasons, such as the foe's reaction, politics, new technologies, and timing. The tale of these disappointments is a heretofore untold story. These projects, in which the US Air Force stumbled, are outliers within the overall success of the service, and, fortunately, its successes outnumber the failures.

"Acquired by the State of Texas in 1988 and first opened to the public as Big Bend State Natural Area in 1991, Big Bend Ranch State Park (BBR) lies within the southern Big Bend of the Trans-Pecos, encompassing some 492 square miles of the Chihuahuan Desert and representing nearly half the total acreage of the Texas state park system. Unlike nearby Big Bend National Park-BRR is relatively undiscovered, wild, challenging, and slightly intimidating. BBR is the "Other" Big Bend, christened the "Other Side of Nowhere," a rugged wilderness outback for the adventuresome with 238 miles of trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding and 70 miles of challenging four-wheel drive roads where visitors can explore stunning geological features, remnants of the area's 11,000-year human history, and a diversity of flora and fauna that rivals any area in the state. In this guidebook, photographer and naturalist Roy Morey walks visitors through the wild landscape, sharing what he has learned during eleven years of studying and photographing Big Bend Ranch State Park. Organized around the six physiographic regions of the park as outlined by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, The Other Side of Nowhere guides readers through the features and locations of the park and includes a field guide section with informative profiles and vivid imagery of 281 plant species. This definitive guide to Big Bend Ranch State Park is a must-have for visitors and an important botanical resource for the greater Big Bend and Trans-Pecos areas"--

"As historian Gunnar Tote Nerheim states in his introduction, "Norway is a foreign country to Texans, and Texas is a foreign country to Norwegians. Neither in Norway nor Texas has there been any awareness that so many Norwegians settled in antebellum Texas." Norsemen Deep in the Heart of Texas brings Norwegian settlement in Texas to light and in doing so offers the first-ever comprehensive history of Norwegians in Texas. Fluent in both English and Norwegian, Nerheim has done what no other historian has done by combining primary and secondary sources from both languages and both countries. A well-established European scholar, Nerheim examines these never-before-referenced sources, telling the story of Norwegian immigration to Texas, explaining the contexts of Norwegians immigration to Texas in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and uncovering its significance to the histories of both countries. The larger historical context reveals that immigration to Texas operated as part of dynamic circumstances on both sides of the Atlantic, including slavery and the Civil War. Drawn from the perspectives of both regions, the history of Norwegian settlement in Texas provide new insights into European immigration. Readers interested in Texas, Norwegian, and trans-Atlantic history, as well as nineteenth-century immigration, will find new horizons in "Norsemen Deep in the Heart of Texas.""--

"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"--

"Recording and performing in the early 1950s, Jesse Belvin, Johnny Ace, and Guitar Slim produced at least thirteen top-25 hits among them. In the years since, their songs have been covered by artists like Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Luther Vandross, and Paul Simon, and they have influenced musicians as varied as Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa, and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Despite all that, their names remain mostly forgotten in the annals of rock 'n roll. Perhaps, as author Steve Bergsman notes in his introduction to Earth Angels: The Short Lives and Controversial Deaths of Three R&B Pioneers, this lack of notoriety is partly due to an unfortunate circumstance joining the three: their untimely deaths. Guitar Slim, whose million-selling song The Things I Used to Do has been re-recorded by both Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan, died in New York City at the age of 32, due to pneumonia that was possibly induced by alcoholism. Johnny Ace's Pledging My Love spent ten weeks at the top position on Billboard's R&B chart and was subsequently performed by Elvis Presley and Paul Simon. Ace died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at age 25. Jesse Belvin, a crooner whose Goodnight My Love became the closing theme to famed disc jockey Alan Freed's radio shows, was killed in a head-on collision, along with his wife, just after performing at the first racially integrated concert in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1960; he was 27. 'If they had made it into the rock era,' Bergsman writes, 'or even the British Invasion years of the early '60s . . . they might have seen their stars shine once again, be recognized as pioneers of R&B, and maybe eventually be ensconced in the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame. Instead, they had the bad luck to die before any of that could come to pass . . .'. Bergsman's meticulous research and entertaining narrative style will afford readers an appreciation-and, for many, an initial view-of the lives and careers of three talented and influential artists who left us much too soon"

"One hundred and five species of mammals are native to the Trans-Pecos region of Texas. The greatly varied terrain, climate, and vegetation make its mammalian life exceptionally varied, ranging from tiny shrews to great elks, from bats to aquatic beavers and muskrats, from desert-dwelling kangaroo rats to forest-loving chipmunks, and from an assortment of mice and rats to predatory cougars and coyotes. This fully revised and updated edition of "The Mammals of Trans-Pecos Texas" provides a guide to the identification of these animals and summarizes important facts about their lives. With nearly every species illustrated with accurate, detailed pen-and-ink drawings by artist Chester O. Martin and color plates of some of the most iconic mammals that live in the Trans-Pecos region, it exemplifies how biologists integrate art with science to develop a wider appreciation for nature. The account of each species is arranged to contain a brief description of the animal, the geographic distribution of the species, and a discussion of the natural history of the mammal. This authoritative work brings together an appreciation for and understanding of the diversity of fauna, life histories, and ecologies within a unique and fascinating landscape"--

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.

In 1821, although Spain claimed what is now Texas, American Indian groups occupied it. Less than forty years later, they had been largely displaced, and their subsistence economy, supplemented by raiding and trade, had been replaced by an Anglo-Texan agricultural economy linked to a rapidly expanding and industrializing capitalist system. For the Karankawas and the Tonkawas, the period from 1821 to 1859 was particularly devastating. Once thriving communities, the Karankawas survived only as scattered individuals after a small remnant on the banks of the Rio Grande was massacred, and the few remaining Tonkawas had been pushed across the Red River into Indian Territory. Kelly Himmel has written an account of this conquest that gives new understanding of the processes. He explores geopolitical and economic factors, as well as the role of individual and collective human actors and the effects of cultural orientations of the conquered and conquering groups toward each other. Among his findings is the importance of geopolitical location. During the early Spanish period, the coastal Karankawas offered a buffer against French, English, and Anglo-American intrusion into Texas. Later, during the early days of Anglo-American settlement, the Tonkawas provided a barrier against the Wichitas and Comanches. For both groups, when the threat to their European-origin allies ended, so did the alliances. In considering the social construction of the "other," he describes how early trade patterns predisposed Anglo-Texans to characterize Karankawas as cannibals, while viewing the Tonkawas, for whom much stronger evidence of cannibalism exists, as harmless beggars and petty thieves. Through the detailed analysis of factors such as these, Himmel not only portrays a period in the history of these two peoples that has been largely unstudied, but also offers lucid explanations of the framework of Anglo-Texan conquest. Historians, sociologists, and anthropologists will find new insight and information in this valuable addition to the literature on Texas Indians and Texas history.

"As defined by conservation biologist Thomas Fleishner, natural history is "a practice of intentional, focused receptivity to the more-than-human world . . . one of the oldest continuous human traditions." Seldom is this idea so clearly reflected as in classic works of American fiction of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. John Cullen Gruesser's edited volume Animals in the American Classics: How Natural History Inspired Great Fiction features essays by prominent literary scholars that showcase natural history and the multifaceted role of animals in well-known works of fiction from Washington Irving in the early nineteenth century to Cormac McCarthy in the late twentieth century, including short stories and novels by Edgar Allan Poe, Herman Melville, Mark Twain, Zora Neale Hurston, William Faulkner, Ernest Hemingway, Jack London, John Steinbeck, and Harper Lee. As an introduction to or a new way of thinking about some of the best-known and most beloved literary texts this nation has produced, Animals in the American Classics considers fundamental questions of ethics and animal intelligence, as well as similarities among racism, ageism, misogyny, and speciesism. With their awareness of Poe's "more-than-casual knowledge of natural science," Mark Twain's proto-animal rights sensibilities, and Hurston's training as an anthropologist, the contributors show that by drawing attention to and thinking like an animal, fiction tests the limits of humanity"--

"The first openly transgender judge to be appointed in the United States, the first attorney to obtain corrected birth certificates for transgender people who had not undergone gender confirmation surgery, a survivor of conversion therapy, and author of a law review article that helped thousands of employers adopt supportive policies for their workers, Phyllis Frye is truly a pioneer in the fight for transgender rights. Among her many accomplishments, Frye founded the first national organization devoted to shaping transgender law-the International Conference on Transgender Law and Employment Policy, which has since created a body of work that includes the International Bill of Gender Rights-trained a cadre of future trans activists, and built the first national movement for transgender legal and political rights. Based on interviews with Frye, Phyllis Frye and the Fight for Transgender Rights covers her early life, the discrimination she faced while struggling with her identity-including being discharged from the army and fired from a subsequent job at her alma mater, Texas A&M-her transition in 1976, her many years of activism, and her current position as an associate judge for the municipal courts of Houston. This gripping account of Frye's efforts to establish and protect the constitutional rights of transgender individuals not only fills a gap in existing histories of LGBTQ activism but will also inform and instruct contemporary trans activists"--

"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"--

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.

"In this revised and re-titled edition of Attracting Birds in the Texas Hill Country: A Guide to Land Stewardship, biologist Rufus Stephens and educator Jan Wrede provide a comprehensive update to their popular and practical handbook that focuses on habitat improvement to benefit birds on properties of all sizes in Central Texas. Nearly 50 years of research shows that over time, the North American bird population has declined by 2.9 billion. Breeding birds have declined by nearly 30 percent in virtually all habitats, and Central Texas is no exception. Just as human impact on the environment has contributed to habitat loss, so can our actions restore the habitats that once sustained a thriving birdlife population. Central Texas resident, migrant, and wintering birds have specific habitat needs for cover, food, and water. Breeding birds also need specific habitat for raising their young. Thus, Land Stewardship for Birds: A Guide for Central Texas is organized by the types of habitats present: woodlands and savannahs; grasslands; rivers and streams; canyons, springs, and seeps; constructed tanks, ponds, and lakes; plus residential backyards. Three chapters on management of predators, deer, and cedar and other brush offer in-depth recommendations for addressing these important factors that impact bird habitat. New material in this edition includes a section on wildfire, improved bird census guidelines, updated plant lists, the latest standards for managing bird boxes, a more robust guide to managing brush species, and helpful apps and online resources, making Land Stewardship for Birds a valuable addition to the land steward's reference library"--

"On October 8, 1918, seventeen soldiers from the 82nd Division, American Expeditionary Force, led by acting Sgt. Bernard Early, flanked a German machine gun nest that had inundated their unit with withering fire. In this sneak attack, they successfully surprised and captured more than 80 German soldiers before an unseen machine gun suddenly opened fire and killed six men. Acting Cpl. Alvin York, a member of the patrol, received the credit for taking control of the squad and single-handedly killing 20 Germans, capturing 132 prisoners, and eliminating 35 machine guns, all before leading the men back to Allied lines. For this act of bravery, York not only received the Medal of Honor and was promoted to sergeant, but he also rose to fame and glory. The 1941 movie Sergeant York, starring Gary Cooper, solidified York as a legend and one of the most well-known military figures in American history. In Unraveling the Myth of Sgt. Alvin York, historian James P. Gregory Jr. tells the story of the other sixteen soldiers who took part in the battle, capture, and return before fading into relative obscurity in the shadow of Sergeant York. As the tale reached mythological proportions, the other survivors began to speak out, seeking recognition for their parts in the engagement, only to be stymied by improper investigations, cover-ups, and media misrepresentations. Here, Gregory recovers the story of these other men and the part they played alongside York while revealing the process of mythmaking in twentieth-century America"--

"Gaylord Jackson Perry was born in 1938 as the younger son of a tobacco sharecropper in Martin County, North Carolina. He and his older brother Jim grew up against a background of backbreaking work six days a week in a community that boasted not a single paved road until the 1950s. Their only relaxation was playing baseball, first with their father and later at school. While both brothers would go on to succeed as pitchers in major league baseball, for Gaylord, success would require a lot of perseverance and an almost equal amount of subterfuge. After a couple of lackluster seasons with the San Francisco Giants, he learned from bullpen-mate Bob Shaw how to throw the illegal spitball. More importantly, he learned to control the tricky pitch and to conceal it from suspicious umpires, opposing managers, and baffled batters. When he finally broke out the spitter in a victory by attrition in a marathon, 32-inning, nine-hour doubleheader against the Mets in May 1964, his destiny was set. The Hall of Famer would go on to a 314-265 win-loss record, with a 3.11 earned-run average and 3,534 career strikeouts, becoming the first pitcher in major league history to win the Cy Young Award in both leagues"--

Mountains rise like islands from deserts and grasslands along the US-Mexican border. The stunningly varied borderlands offer a laboratory for studying historical trends and ecological cycles. This work describes the stability and changes in the Borderlands' climate, landforms, and natural communities and in its distinctive plants and vertebrates.

" In 1966, when the still-young Dallas Cowboys franchise ended six years of agony with their first winning season, the team's owner and founder, Clint Murchison Jr., son of a billionaire oilman, was feeling ambitious. He believed his team would be good, even special, for years to come. With such dreams dancing in his head, Murchison found that the aging Cotton Bowl in Dallas's Fair Park was no longer a suitable home for what would soon be dubbed "America's Team." Hole in the Roof: The Dallas Cowboys, Clint Murchison Jr., and the Stadium That Changed American Sports Forever tells the story of Texas Stadium, with its trademark hole in the roof, which served the Cowboys for 38 seasons without ever requiring a penny of public dollars. In 1966, though the Cotton Bowl was one of the newer stadiums in the National Football League, Murchison saw it as an outdated venue. What he envisioned was a shiny new stadium near downtown Dallas, but to realize his vision for what a professional sports venue could be-and the many benefits that the resulting revenue could generate-he needed buy-in from Dallas city leaders. Opening with a foreword by Drew Pearson, all-time Cowboy great and NFL Hall-of-Famer, and based on extensive research in both public and media archives and Murchison family records, Hole in the Roof chronicles Murchison's founding of an extraordinary sports franchise and the battles he fought to build the stadium he wanted-where the Cowboys went on to play each of their five Super Bowl-winning seasons and where Murchison proved that stadiums could be a source of revenue surpassing even television. "--

" In January 1944, a US Army Air Corps transport, en route to its home base in India, crashed into a snowfield in Tibet, killing all crew members. Because of the remote location and fierce winter weather, the aircraft was covered by heavy snowfall. The snowfield glaciated, completely hiding the aircraft until its accidental discovery by a Tibetan hunter in 1993. A nearby Chinese army garrison launched an immediate reconnaissance into the crash site and brought out remnants of the airplane and remains of the crew. They then notified the American Embassy in Beijing. Then-Colonel William H. Jordan, commander of the US Army Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii, was assigned to investigate the crash site and to recover, identify, and repatriate the remains of the fallen US servicemen. Cold Sun: The Search for World War II Airmen Lost in a Tibetan Glacier is Jordan's recounting of the events surrounding the recovery, including the final, solemn duty of officially informing the lost crewmen's family members-by this time in middle age or older-of the fate of their loved ones. He weaves the mission of the aircraft and crew's fate through the prism of America's history of identifying and recovering their fallen warriors, the efforts over the years, and technological leaps needed to finally accomplish this grim, necessary mission. Inspiring and informative, based in the personal reflections of Jordan and the others involved, Cold Sun tells the gripping story of a tragic loss, a harrowing recovery effort, and the human efforts involved. "--