Discover These New Reads From the Longhorn Universe

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

FORAGING TEXAS  

Finding, Identifying, And Preparing Edible Wild Foods In Texas  

By Eric M. Knight, BS ’10, Life Member, and Stacy M. Coplin 

Foraging Texas leads newcomers and seasoned scavengers to 92 of the most common, interesting, and useful wild plants found throughout the state. The detailed guidebook offers full-color photos, recipes, and diagrams, as well as maps and tips for ethically harvesting and preparing foraged foods. The authors are educators—Knight teaches classes at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center—and founders of Local Leaf, which sells locally harvested yaupon tea in Austin-area Whole Foods stores.   

HEALTHY EASY MEXICAN  

Over 140 Authentic Low-Calorie, Big-Flavor Recipes 

By Velda de la Garza, BS ’77, Life Member 

Utilize a variety of light recipes and superfoods to unlock the health benefits of Mexican cuisine. De la Garza incorporates new food trends but compiles a cookbook representative of hundreds of years of history and culture. As a registered dietitian nutritionist, she has lectured at The University of Texas–Pan American and worked as a dietitian at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.   

YOU SOUND LIKE A WHITE GIRL   

The Case For Rejecting Assimilation  

by Julissa Arce, BBA ’05 

“You sound like a white girl,” Arce was once flattered to hear as a child, struggling to fit in as an immigrant from Mexico. Now a bestselling author and regular on television news, she investigates the ideal that assimilation leads to happiness and belonging, ultimately calling for a celebration of each individual’s uniqueness, culture, and heritage. Arce, who officially became an American citizen in 2014, co-founded the Ascend Educational Fund in New York City and sits on the board of the National Immigration Law Center.  

MAKING THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES   

The Hollywood Classic That Inspired A Nation  

Alison Macor, MA ’91, PhD ’00  

The 1946 film The Best Years of Our Lives was an immediate success and the first Hollywood movie to confront the “veterans problem,” today known as post-traumatic stress disorder. Macor is an award-winning author and former film critic for the Austin Chronicle and Austin American-Statesman who traces the journey from script to screen, focusing on the film’s production history, its personal connection with its director, and lasting resonance more than 75 years later.