Art, Autobiographies, and Ann Richards: Discover New Reads From the Longhorn Universe

By Alcalde Staff in 40 Acres, Good Reads, March | April 2022 on March 1, 2022 at 7:00 am | No Comments

ANOTHER WORLD  

The Art of David Everett 

Edited by Becky Duval Reese, Introduction by Stephen Harrigan, BA ’70, Life Member  

The life and work of Austin artist David Everett, BFA ’72, MFA ’75, is on display in Another World, a full-color compilation of his many glossy, stylized sculptures. His Texas-style bas-relief carvings and vibrant drawings are also included, and further illustrate his family of swamp rabbits, horny toads, and more. Author and editor Reese is an art curator and the retired director of the El Paso Museum of Art.  

TEXAS JAZZ SINGER 

Louise Tobin in the Golden Age of Swing and Beyond 

By Kevin Edward Mooney, PhD ’98  

Texas Jazz Singer documents the remarkable life story and music career of Louise Tobin, from singing at age 7 in Denton to her rise to fame as a vocalist for the King of Swing, Benny Goodman. The biography is told by Tobin through extensive interviews, as one of the last surviving musicians of the swing era. Music historian Mooney concentrates on Tobin’s challenges as well as her success, giving readers a broad portrayal beyond her status as an emblem for women in jazz.  

THE BELL RINGER 

By Victor Rodgriguez, PhD ’82  

For nine years, Victor Rodriguez awoke at 4 a.m. to the sound of the train and jogged two miles to ring the church bell in Edna, Texas. The daily task led him to break barriers as the first Hispanic student to earn scholarships at both Victoria Junior College and North Texas State College, now the University of North Texas. This autobiography by Rodriguez recounts his earliest days in South Texas in the 1940s through his life as a celebrated coach, educator, and 12-year superintendent of the San Antonio School District. 

THE ONE ANN ONLY  

Wit and Wisdom from Texas Governor Ann Richards 

Foreword by Sarah Bird, MA ’76  

“I’ve been tested by fire, and the fire lost.” The unforgettable Ann Richards is celebrated with a collection of famous one-liners and witticisms alongside a series of strong images of the 45th governor of Texas. The book comes from the newly formed Ann Richards Legacy Project, a nonprofit established by her former deputy press secretary, Margaret Justus, with plans for further public art projects and events.