Discover Your Inner-Texan with New Reads from the Longhorn Universe

By Alcalde Staff in 40 Acres, Good Reads, Nov | Dec 2021 on November 1, 2021 at 8:02 am | No Comments

Being Texan
Essays, Recipes, and Advice for the Lone Star Way of Life
By the editors of Texas Monthly

Texas Monthly taps into its long roster of contributors to compile an expansive collection of reporting, recipes, and recommendations, all accompanied by original artwork. While cliches flourish throughout Texas, they hardly define the state. Through this collection, the authors take stock of the state’s landscape, people, customs, and cuisine to define what it means to be a Texan.

Roller Derby
The History of an American Sport
By Michella M. Marino

Starting in 1935, the sport of roller derby has excited fans with its mix of fast action and edgy attitude. Roller Derby tells the sport’s complex history through rich illustrations, archival materials, and personal experiences. Marino is a former skater who finds the sport’s gender dynamics and mix of coed athletes as the reason it became a cultural mainstay. She also considers the sport’s future following its modern resurgence. The book is published by UT Press in its Terry and Jan Todd Series on Physical Culture and Sports.

Czech Songs in Texas
By Frances Barton, BA ’76, and John K. Novak

Polka music is a familiar sound across dance halls and festivals in Texas thanks to mid-19th century emigrants from what is now the Czech Republic. With Czech Songs in Texas, the co-authors honor their roots with a comprehensive handbook on Czech music and culture in Texas. Their anthology examines the meaning and history of 61 annotated songs and explores the role of music in the Texas Czech community.

Growing Up in the Lone Star State
Notable Texans Remember Their Childhoods
By Gaylon Finklea Hecker, BJ ’72, and Marianne Odom

The co-authors of Growing Up in the Lone Star State spent 40 years collecting interviews in a quest to define the mystique and capture the spirit of Texas. While working for the San Antonio Express-News, Finklea Hecker and Odom were determined to learn what prepared famous Texans for success. They recorded intimate stories of triumph and tragedy as well as reflections on the effects of race and class. Published by the Briscoe Center for American History, subjects include Lady Bird Johnson, Denton Cooley, Ray Price, Red McCombs, Dan Rather, Kay Bailey Hutchison, Nolan Ryan, and many more.