Five New Books By Longhorns to Dive Into This Spring Break

By Danielle Lopez in 40 Acres, March | April 2020 on March 2, 2020 at 1:37 pm | No Comments

The Trials of Apollo, Book Five: The Tower of Nero
By Rick Riordan, BA ’86, Life Member  

The Percy Jackson and the Olympians author released the fifth and final installment of his young adult series The Trials of Apollo, in which the god Apollo has been turned into a mortal named Lester Papadopoulos by his father Zeus. After following Apollo’s journey the last four years, readers will finally get the answers they have been waiting for: Will Apollo leave his human teenage form and return to Mount Olympus? Or is he bound to his teenage form forever?  

 

My Autobiography of Carson McCullers
By Jenn Shapland, MA ’12, PhD ’16

During her internship at the Harry Ransom Center as an English graduate student at UT, Shapland’s snooping soared to new heights. She found herself sifting through the effects of famous authors—straightening a button fly on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s suit pants or examining a jewelry box that belonged to Alice B. Toklas. When she read love letters written between early 20th-century female novelist and author of The Heart is a Lonely Hunter Carson McCullers and a woman named Annmarie Shwarzenbach, a photographer and writer, she was hooked. This led her to her debut novel, a work that blends memoir and biography. Read the Alcalde‘s interview with her here.

 

American Sherlock: Murder, Forensics, and the Birth of American CSI
By Kate Winkler Dawson  

Following her debut novel Death in the Air, UT journalism professor Dawson is back with the true story of Edward Oscar Heinrich—a man known as the “American Sherlock Holmes.” Set in Berkeley, California, in 1933, the book captures the life of Heinrich, a forensic scientist who investigated and cracked at least 2,000 cases over the course of his 40-year career. Using years of research, Dawson brings to light the little-known tale of the man who pioneered forensic science and the way it is used in American criminal investigations today.   

 

Texas Place Names
By Edward Callary, with Jean K. Callary  

Ever wondered where Texas towns got their names? Paris, Texas, is in fact named after Paris, France. Central Texas’ Ding Dong, located along the Lampasas River, derived its name from two store owners with the last name Bell who both hailed from Bell County. Linguist Edward Callary and writer Jean Callary take readers on a tour across the state, using names and language to tell its history.  

 

The Lost Books of Jane Austen
By Janine Barchas  

Deemed “delicious” by The Guardian, UT English professor Barchas’ coffee table book sheds new light on the legacy of author Jane Austen. For years following Austen’s death in 1817, her stories remained relatively unknown. But thanks to inexpensive, cheaply crafted editions of her work, Austen’s books were spread throughout Britain’s working class. Barchas’ testament to Austen is packed with these gaudy, colorful book covers, while capturing the story of how Austen’s words stand the test of time.