Book Description
Like other great figures of 20th-century American politics, Lyndon Johnson defies easy understanding. An unrivaled master of vote swapping, back room deals, and election-day skulduggery, he was nevertheless an outspoken New Dealer with a genuine commitment to the poor and the underprivileged. With aides and colleagues he could be overbearing, crude, and vindictive, but at other times shy, sophisticated, and magnanimous. Perhaps columnist Russell Baker said it best: Johnson "was a character out of a Russian novel...a storm of warring human instincts: sinner and saint, buffoon and statesman, cynic and sentimentalist." But Johnson was also a representative figure. His career speaks volumes about American politics, foreign policy, and business in the forty years after 1930. As Charles de Gaulle said when he came to JFK's funeral: Kennedy was America's mask, but this man Johnson is the country's real face. In Lone Star Rising, Robert Dallek, winner of the prestigious Bancroft Prize for his study of Franklin D. Roosevelt, now turns to this fascinating "sinner and saint" to offer a brilliant, definitive portrait of a great American politician. Based on seven years of research in over 450 manuscript collections and oral histories, as well as numerous personal interviews, this first book in a two-volume biography follows Johnson's life from his childhood on the banks of the Pedernales to his election as vice-president under Kennedy. We see Johnson, the twenty-three-year-old aide to a pampered millionaire Representative, become a de facto Congressman, and at age twenty-eight the country's best state director of the National Youth Administration. We see Johnson, the "human dynamo," first in the House and then in the Senate, whirl his way through sixteen- and eighteen-hour days, talking, urging, demanding, reaching for influence and power, in an uncommonly successful congressional career. Dallek pays full due to Johnson's failings--his obsession with being top dog, his willingness to cut corners, and worse, to get there-- but he also illuminates Johnson's sheer brilliance as a politician, the high regard in which key members of the New Deal, including FDR, held him, and his genuine concern for minorities and the downtrodden. No president in American history is currently less admired than Lyndon Johnson. Bitter memories of Vietnam have sent Johnson's reputation into free fall, and recent biographies have painted him as a scoundrel who did more harm than good. Lone Star Rising attempts to strike a balance. It does not neglect the tawdry side of Johnson's political career, including much that is revealed for the first time. But it also reminds us that Lyndon Johnson was a man of exceptional vision, who from early in his career worked to bring the South into the mainstream of American economic and political life, to give the disadvantaged a decent chance, and to end racial segregation for the well-being of the nation.
Customer Reviews:
Exhaustive bio on LBJ.......2006-06-21
For the foreseeable future, I think it's safe to say Dallek's two volumes will be the definitive LBJ biography for the simple reason(s) that it's unclear if Caro will finish his works and it is doubtful that anyone will soon take on the onerous task of researching Johnson's extremely complicated life ... and find anything new. This volume tracks LBJ's life up to the 1960 election and everything is here ... and I mean everything, from Johnson's lineage, his childhood and education, his work as a New Deal caretaker and Texas politician, his dubious "military service", his meteoric climb through both the House and US Senate, including his "election" to the latter and finally his acceptance as JFK's vice-presidential running mate. The reader meets the big (and small) personalities in LBJ's life including FDR, Truman, Eisenhower, Sam Rayburn, Richard Russell and Hubert Humphrey as well as the truly dedicated people who worked ungodly hours for him. Dallek also does an admirable job in tracking the development of LBJ's character and motives, (and ego) while parsing through, at times, the frenetic activity of his life. Where this biography differs from others, (especially Caro's), is in Dallek's self-restraint in judging LBJ's actions and behaviors, (and there is a lot to judge). Others have made this out to be an omission on the author's part, I would beg to differ and label it as evenhanded. Dallek presents the facts and lets the reader make the call while other authors, (again Caro), have stepped into the breech and passed judgement. (This doesn't mean I disagree with those judgements, in fact in most cases I do agree. It's hard not to.) I just appreciated Dallek allowing me to come to my own conclusions. If there is a fault with this book, (and the second volume), and this is a nit, it's that too much detail is provided and at times can become mind-numbing. In Dallek's subsequent bio of JFK, at least in my opinion, he does a better job of not overwhelming the reader with at times, repetitive details.
An incredibly rewarding read.......2005-09-05
Over the last several years, I've read more than 30 presidential biographies, usually letting Amazon reader's guide me to the best choice. I assure you Robert Dallek's first volume of his LBJ biography is one of the top five or six biographies I've read thus far. This volume provides the details of LBJ's life until he became vice president. Lone Star Rising is well written. Most of all it is balanced presenting numerous sides of a very complex man. Also included are the anecdotes of LBJ's life that led me to laugh out loud or shake my head with disbelief.
Lilly Tomlin once said, "I try to be as cynical as I can be, but sometimes I just can't keep up. " She could have been talking about Southern politics in general or LBJ in particular. Dallek shows LBJ's warts, but he also describes Johnson's genuine desire to help the poor and the South.
LBJ rose from poverty through a combination of incredible drive, unbelievable moxie, a willingness to do anything to win, a refusal to admit defeat, and a sense that the world was his stage with all of the characters being actors for him to manipulate, bamboozle, and control. These traits helped LBJ reach the presidency, but they also led to a stubborn refusal to get out of Viet Nam (see volume 2).
I truly wish every president could have a biographer as skilled as Dallek. Finally, I'd like to stress the 1200 or so pages of the two vlumes are worth the effort. While the second volume gets bogged down covering our bogged down war in Viet Nam, I would not have wanted to skip over a page of volume 1
PROBABLY MORE EVEN-HANDED THAN SOME WORKS.......2004-11-18
Dallek's two volume work is probably a bit more even handed in dealing with LBJ than some of the biographies of recent years. While it is certainly not a collection of "way to go LBJ" chapters, it does go out of it's way to point out much of the good Johnson accomplished. The book appeared to be well researched and read easily. While I feel that it could have pointed out and examined Johnson's many, many flaws and their underlying source, there are indeed many other works which do so, so another good LBJ bash book was and is not probably needed at this time. I did enjoy this one and am glad I added it to my collection.
Presenting the good Lyndon.......2002-07-25
Dallek's biography has the virtue of being written by someone who clearly admires Johnson. As such, it is somewhat of a counterweight to Robert Caro and I suggest both be read for balance.
Nevertheless, in presenting the "good Lyndon", Dallek downplays the worst of Johnson. There is nothing particularly wrong with this (Dallek certainly doesn't ignore the flaws, just tends to gloss over them a little), but it does lead to a fairly tepid book, one that is nowhere near as much fun to read as Caro's. Thus, if I could only read one (which of course many readers will do considering the length of both Caro's and Dallek's presentations), I would read Caro's. Caro's second and third volumes (covering the 40's and 50's, roughly the second half of the Dallek volume being discussed here) are possibly the best political biography ever written. It is against that "competition" that Dallek's book must be weighed and I found, in the balance, that Dallek's work is merely ordinary.
The Landmark LBJ Biography.......2001-09-26
Dallek's two-volume examination of LBJ is a dramatic and nuanced examination of one the most complex figures in 20th century American history. Even almost three decades after his death, there are no shortage of people who see LBJ as the ultimate villan of American politics. Many people of this camp dislike Dallek's work, because he puts his subject in his context.
While Dallek does not excuse the sort of election fraud in which LBJ engaged, he does explain that it was wide spread. Some find this an unacceptable defense, but one should note that the sorts of tricks he describes have been wide spread in the US for most of the 19th and early 20th century. To dismiss LBJ for engaging in such activities who require similar condemnation of every US president from Adams to FDR.
Dallek in fact, is unflinching in discussing LBJ's negative side. His pension for strong arming opponents, his abuse of his staff, his womanizing and drinking, and his dirty tricks are all layed bare. At the same time, Dallek reviews how crucial LBJ was as part of the New Deal and his brave role as a champion of civil rights.
The other major LBJ biography by Caro is far less balanced in its approach to this complex and ultimately tragic figure. For a truly great and complete biography of LBJ, I suggest that you read this one.
Book Description
In Lone Star Rising, Elmer Kelton ("A Texas Legend," according to Texas Governor Rick Perry), brings together the first three books of his acclaimed Texas Ranger saga. The Buckskin Line introduces Rusty Shannon, the red-haired Comanche captive rescued and adopted by Mike Shannon, who is a member of a Texas "ranging company" that protects settlers from Indian raids. In the throes of the War Between the States, Rusty joins the Rangers and searches for the renegades who killed his adoptive father. In Badger Boy, the Rangers are disbanded and Rusty returns to his home on the Red River only to discover that the girl he loves has married another. In a time of personal turmoil as well as the post-war uphheaval in Texas, Rusty's childhood returns to haunt him as he rescues Andy Pickard, called Badger Boy by his Comanche captors. Andy and Rusty ride together in the newly reformed Rangers in The Way of the Coyote, in a time when Texas is overrun with outlaws, Confederate raiders, Ku Klux Klansmen, and marauding Comanches.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent.......2007-09-29
Like all the Elmer Kelton books I've read, this is excellent. Kelton is better than Larry McMurtry when it comes to Western fiction; too bad he doesn't receive the same popular and critical acclaim. This is a wonderful work of historical fiction with great characters and smooth writing.
Not your ordinary Western.......2006-12-29
Mr. Kelton does an excellent job developing characters and weaving them into the story. I found the story to be suprisingly intriguing and unpredictable. I plan to read more of his work.
The Texas Rangers Ride again.......2006-07-25
I was doing a booksigning with western writing icon Elmer Kelton a while back and picked up his book "Lone Star Rising." It's a trilogy of Texas Ranger stories featuring a ranger by the name of Rusty Shannon, and an ongoing feud with several generations of Comanche warriors, set against a cast of other fascinating characters that I guarantee will intrigue you. It's a terrific look at the history of the rangers before, during and after the civil war.
The settings are drawn exceedingly well, the characters are real and compelling, and the story moves at a pace that makes it hard to put down. I was pleased to see that it included a faith element to it, though not enough that it would be aimed for the Christian bookstore shelves. There is a mild spattering of language and light violence, but not enough that would put off a more sensitive reader. It preserves the realism, but is done with Elmer's taste and light touch.
People have always been drawn to the myth and legend of the rangers, but the true story is no less compelling. This force always stood against great odds protecting Texas in the early days as well as in the years to come. This book is a great read, and with three separate books in one volume is a good reading value as well. Easy to recommend.
Terry Burns
Author of the Mysterious Ways Series from River Oak
Outstanding Western Fiction.......2005-03-21
I have read all three of these books separately. Although a trilogy, each can be read on its own. Kelton does an incredible job of creating a sense of place in his novels, and his character development exceeds L'amour's. Highly recommended.
Book Description
All Americans, not just Texans, remember the Alamo. But the siege and brief battle at that abandoned church in February and March 1836 were just one chapter in a much larger story -- larger even than the seven months of armed struggle that surrounded it. Indeed, three separate revolutionary traditions stretching back nearly a century came together in Texas in the 1830s in one of the great struggles of American history and the last great revolution of the hemisphere. Anglos steeped in 1776 fervor and the American revolution came seeking land, Hispanic and native Americans joined the explosion of republican uprisings in Mexico and Latin America, and the native tejanos seized on a chance for independence. As William C. Davis brilliantly depicts in Lone Star Rising, the result was an epic clash filled not just with heroism but also with ignominy, greed, and petty and grand politics.
In Lone Star Rising, Davis deftly combines the latest scholarship on the military battles of the revolution, including research in seldom used Mexican archives, with an absorbing examination of the politics on all sides. His stirring narrative features a rich cast of characters that includes such familiar names as Stephen Austin, Sam Houston, and Antonio Santa Anna, along with tejano leader Juan Seguín and behind-the-scenes players like Andrew Jackson. From the earliest adventures of freebooters, who stirred up trouble for Spain, Mexico, and the United States, to the crucial showdown at the San Jacinto River between Houston and Santa Anna there were massacres, misunderstandings, miscalculations, and many heroic men.
The rules of war are rarely stable and they were in danger of complete disintegration at times in Texas. The Mexican army often massacred its Anglo prisoners, and the Anglos retaliated when they had the chance after the battle of San Jacinto. The rules of politics, however, proved remarkably stable: The American soldiers were democrats who had a hard time sustaining campaigns if they didn't agree to them, and their leaders were as given to maneuvering and infighting as they were to the larger struggle. Yet in the end Lone Star Rising is not a myth-destroying history as much as an enlarging one, the full story behind the slogans of the Alamo and of Texas lore, a human drama in which the forces of independence, republicanism, and economics were made manifest in an unforgettable group of men and women.
Customer Reviews:
Pretty Good.......2007-06-21
This book provides for a good general history on the construction of
The Republic of Texas. The read is definitely worth it, even if you're a native Texan and think you know it all.
Take it from a true and truthful native Texan, read the book. It'll give you much more than a college class on the History of Texas ever could.
Beneath the Sugarcoating and Between the Facts.......2005-06-04
It's interesting to observe how seldom story tellers trust their audience to draw their own conclusions. This is starkly obvious when you consider how the Texas Revolution has been depicted in film and legend. The tendency to paint it as heroic movement of courageous men overcoming a formidable foe to win freedom from repression is a powerful one and fits neatly with the overarching mythology of the American experience. The truth is so vastly different and so disagreeably at odds with the sugarcoating that it can be like biting into a chocolate covered rat.
Yet at the heart of the impulse to glorify something that wasn't in fact very glorious is the need to declare roundly, We Were Good People and We Deserved This. Interestingly, however, a frank and honest reading of the events surrounding the Texas Revolution of 1836 will bring you to the same conclusion, albeit by a different route. Such a straightforward chronicling is provided in Lone Star Rising, The Revolutionary Birth of the Texas Republic, by William C. Davis. Ironically, however, the book's strength is also its weakness.
Davis's workmanlike compilation of the documented facts while thorough, and ultimately sufficient to provide a complete picture of people and events, lacks flavor. It reads like the boiled down product of a shelf load of monographs, dry, often plodding, but unassailable when it comes to the facts. An attentive reading will bring you to some interesting conclusions about the Texas Revolution all on your own, but you'll find yourself wishing the author had spiced the broth, added a dash of poetry. Indeed, you'll find yourself wishing for a dash of sweetener, even if you object to sugarcoating in general. Put another way, you'll wish there was a middle road between a bald-faced glorification of events and a deadpan piling up of facts. The Texas Revolution deserves as much, because it is so interesting, and so telling.
If one has a sense of providence, an inkling about the workings of faith, the story of the Texas Revolution speaks volumes about a Good People Who Deserved Something. But it wasn't the buffoons, opportunists, cowards and drunks of Texas in 1836 that are the good people in this particular story. To try to exalt them, as so many story tellers do, misses the point. From Bowie, to Travis, to Crockett, to Houston, these clowns did almost nothing to deserve victory over Mexico short of painting themselves into corners and endangering their lives and that of their cause. The fact that they eventually triumphed was such a stroke of dumb luck one has to wonder if the United States itself was not blessed, even if the United States was not a participant.
Arguably, the real hero in the Texas Revolution was the country to the east, the United States, who stayed out of the fracas and ultimately benefited, increasing the size of its territory dramatically when the voters of Texas wisely recognized that they probably wouldn't be any better at running a government than they were at prosecuting a war and applied for statehood.
From the 1820's on, it was claimed that the United States was destined to inhabit the continent, to grow in size and power until it became a formidable player on the world stage. When you observe how a handful of ill-disciplined rabble defeated the vaunted Mexican army and handed over the enormous territory of Texas to the United States on a silver platter you can believe it. The Good People in this case were the people to the east, who stayed out of it and What They Deserved was the continent that lay stretched before them, from sea to shining sea so that one day they could do great things in Europe and elsewhere and shape the world as we know it today. Ultimately, this is the epic tale of heroic expansionism that lies beneath the sordid tale of the Texas Revolution, and you can find it, but you will have to find it on your own, in the spaces between the facts of a book like Lone Star Rising and underneath the sugarcoating of story tellers who don't trust their audience to get it.
Interested in Texan history? Read this first!.......2004-08-25
In "Lone Star Rising," William C. Davis has produced a comprehensive and thoroughly readable history of the Texas Revolution of 1836. Most history buffs will be familiar with Davis from his numerous appearances in cable television historical specials, including the A&E series "Civil War Journal." However, he should be equally well known from his vast body of work as a popular historian. This latest work is another strong demonstration of the prolific Davis's talent for producing readable, approachable works of insightful history.
The land-hungry dream of carving the Texan lands away from Mexico dated from the 1820s, but Davis begins even earlier, ably and entertainingly building up the setting for the 1830s. The attention paid to the preceding history yields significant dividends later in the book. For example, by the time Davis reaches the 1836 Revolution and the infamous massacres directed by Santa Ana, we already understand why such bloodshed was almost certain to occur. The narrative introduces us to the harsh Spanish tradition of how to deal with rebels. Also, when the narrative reaches 1836, the author has already painted decades of plotting Americans engaged in piratical-if-hapless invasions, aimed at seizing the province of Texas. To the Mexicans, the 1836 Revolution looked like just another frustrating, outrageous attempt by the gringos to steal their land.
The book's timing coincides with the summer release of Disney's "The Alamo," and it delivers on many of the points where the film fails. "The Alamo" promised us the Mexican side of the story of 1836; Davis's book actually delivers. In this, the book is superior to previous accounts. While he does not neglect the Texan pantheon: the stolid, conservative Stephen Austin; the unscrupulous Jim Bowie; Sam Houston, the scheming drunkard; and the fire-eating William Travis. Davis also calls attention to the often-neglected tejano (the Spanish-speaking Mexicans who had long lived in Texas) leader Juan Seguin. At last, the tejanos play a central role alongside with the American immigrants ("Texians"). Furthermore, the convoluted story of Mexican politics vis-à-vis the Revolution finally receive their due. Antonio Santa Anna, a fascinating character who is too often reduced to the role of a tin pot dictator and villain, also receives full attention.
Davis has penned a successful work, depicting how three very distinct groups of people struggled over both the land and the idea of what would become Texas, and how the Americans eventually triumphed. He avoids making an argument in favor of simply telling a story, and unlike his predecessors he tells a complete story. Consequently, the book reads as a new take on a very old story. It should become a major work among the popular histories of Texas.
A Worthy Companion to "Three Roads to the Alamo".......2004-08-16
This work is an outstanding history: scholarly with extensive footnotes, but written in accessible manner for the "average person". This book is timely, with the release of the movie "Alamo" after the holidays, popular interest in this siege and the Texas Revolution as a whole is rising. The standard cast of characters is here, but Mr. Davis goes much farther than a retelling of the interaction of these American icons-for that, "Three Roads to the Alamo" is outstanding- and shows how the influence of the American and French Revolutions affected the Spanish colonists in "Tejas". As American colonists, "filibusters", moved into Texas territory, they refused to integrate into Mexican culture, and soon became a problem. With the Mexican Revolution against Spain diverting government attention, the American colonists demanded more and more autonomy. A liberal army officer, Santa Anna, managed to defeat the royalists and try to gain some control over a huge land and heterogeneous culture. Surprisingly, Stephen Austin and others recommended allying with Santa Anna, petitioning his government for said greater autonomy (leading ultimately to independence for the more radical colonists). After putting Austin in prison, combat actions begin as the colonists protest this and other actions. For his part, Santa Anna realizes that Texas is more than a threat to his power: it may be the beginning of a Mexican disintegration.
What the author reveals is something more than a revolt against "tyranny" with mythic heroes, and something considerably less than a mere Anglo land-grab as some revisionist histories claim. This book, in conjunction with his previously mentioned "Three Roads to the Alamo" gives both the average reader, and the historian a detailed discussion of this part of Texas history, and a social history of the US in the early 19th Century. Highly recommended.
Less personality, more history, make for an excellent book.......2004-06-29
I recently finished reading "Lone Star Nation" by H.W. Brands, and then launched immediately into "Lone Star Rising" by William C. Davis. As two books published on essentially the same topic, with almost identical titles, and within a few months of one another, the two books obviously have a certain amount in common. But the differences are more significant than the similarities. And while which one you prefer will be largely a matter of taste, I personally found this book, Davis' "...Rising," a much stronger work of history.
"...Nation," by Brands, viewed the Texas Revolution largely through the biographies of some of its major players: Houston, Bowie, Crockett, Santa Anna, and so on. It was very much a personality-driven story. "...Rising," on the other hand, focuses much more on the larger historical context of the Revolution -- so much so, in fact, that the personalities sometimes seem lost amid the larger picture Davis is painting. In the early sections of the book, especially, I found it sometimes hard to keep track of all the pirates, revolutionaries, and filibusterers Davis introduced into his narrative. In his defense, if such is necessary, however, I should note that Davis covered precisely those same personalities in more detail several years ago in his "Three Roads to the Alamo."
I've been debating whether to describe Davis as a "serious, albeit prolific," historian, or a "prolific but serious" one. While he has written an awful lot of books, I've never found him to be a hack, a poor researcher, a poor writer, or tendentious in his conclusions. As I said, part of this book was so densely populated that I found it a little hard to follow. But once we got into the central narrative of the unfolding Revolution, the story was both interesting and well-informed.
"Lone Star Rising" is not from the "when giants strode the earth" school of epic storytelling. But if you're willing to accept a little less focus on personalities in exchange for a lot more context, William C. Davis' contribution may be just the title you're looking for. Given the option, I would maybe have given this title four-and-a-half stars instead of five. But lacking the option, I'm more than happy to round up.
Book Description
In the whirlwind of revolutions in the Americas, the Texas Revolution stands at the confluence of northern and southern revolts. On the battlefield and in the political aftermath, settlers from the United States struggled with those who brought revolutionary ideas from Latin America and arms from Mexico. In the midst of the conflict stood the Tejanos who had made Texas home for generations.
This masterpiece of narrative and analysis, first published in hardback in 2004, brings the latest scholarship to bear on the oldest questions. Well-known characters such as Sam Houston, Stephen F. Austin, and General Santa Anna—and the cultures they represented—are etched in sharp and very human relief as they carve out the republic whose Lone Star rose in 1836 and changed the course of a continent.
Customer Reviews:
grteat book.......2006-11-04
William C. Davis once again has done a great job, this time on a subje3ct that gets litle press yet is an important part of our history. The historian or casual reader will find this book hard to put down.
Customer Reviews:
Great story!.......2006-02-20
LONE STAR RISING by Darlene Graham
February 19, 2006
Amazon rating 4/5
"This second in the Baby Diaries series continues the story of three sisters living in the small Texas town of Five Points. Robbie McBride Tellchick is a pregnant widow, raising three young boys, and not sure how she is going to make it financially. Currently she's working as a waitress at the local diner, but this is not enough to help them survive. Her dream is to open up a shop selling items such as handmade quilts.
Firefighter Zack Trueblood tried to save Robbie's husband when he was trapped inside their burning barn. Zack has been in love with Robbie since they were in high school, but Robbie only had eyes for Danny. Zack does everything he can to protect and care for Robbie after the death of her husband, fixing up her house and making sure she has what she needs. Robbie doesn't understand why Zack is being so attentive, but does feel guilty about the emotions she is beginning to have for a man she barely remembered from their school days (Zack was much younger than Robbie). Each chapter is prefaced by Robbie's journal entries, so the reader sees how her feelings for Zack evolve from friendship to love. She also tries to reconcile these feelings for Zack, comparing him to her deceased husband Danny, a man who did not make her very happy in the long run." - Complete review at BOOKLOONS - M. Lofton
Simple Story Line Satisfies.......2006-01-27
There is no complexity in this love story. It goes: guy sees girl, girl has boyfriend/husband, boyfriend/husband dies, and guy moves in.
At least Zach Trueblood has some moral struggles when he realizes he needs to carry through on his job before he tells the woman he loves how her husband really may have died. Robbie McBride also struggles with her attraction for Zach. Her three children also seem nearly terciary characters and do not drive her in either direction as a parent.
If you're looking for sheet tingling romance, this is not the book for you. The love here is very tender to the point of hesistation on both the parts of Robbie and Zach. They are aware that all eyes are on them as they reach for each other.
The end is almost anti-climatic and muddled as the author sets up the romance for Francie.
As a stand alone from this series, this story holds itself up, is enjoyable and provides entertainment.
Average customer rating:
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Austin: Lone Star Rising
John T. Davis ,
James B. Colson , and
Laura Tuma
Manufacturer: Towery Pub.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 1881096084 |
Book Description
"But still, in the mind's eye of those who love her, there is an enduring vision of Austin at first light, the Southwestern pastels of pink and white set against the green contours of the hills, that lingers pleasantly in the collective imagination. Everyone who lives in Austin, or even tarries for a visit, takes away a vision."
Truly, Austin, Texas, is a city like no other. Eternally restless and turbulent, with gusto and trepidation forever existing in the same moment, it's where two American cultures collide-a place where the West bleeds almost imperceptibly into Dixie's final vanguard. In the best and truest sense of the phrase, Austin stands apart.
With the aid of over 250 colorful images by the area's finest photographers, Austin journalist John T. Davis brings to life the unique character and wonderful sights, sounds, and smells that emanate from this capital city deep in the heart of Texas. And he traces the area's transformation from a place "where the University was a credit to its football team, and the State Legislature thought high tech was a new form of modern art, "into a home of progressive ideas, creative thinking, and an unsurpassed quality of life.
A fourth-generation Texan, Davis leads us beyond the State Capital and the University Tower, the city's two abiding symbols, to reveal a community of artists, politicians, executives; college students-you name it-an eclectic blend of freethinkers who couldn't imagine living anywhere else. The city's future, these citizens will tell you, still holds out promise. And the promise beckons.
Open these pages and experience for yourself Austin, Texas-it's seldom that the heart's landscape assumes such a pleasing perspective.
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LONE STAR RISING
Manufacturer: WARNER
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000I8U2V6 |
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Lone Star Rising
Sue Ann Waggoner
Manufacturer: Warner Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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ASIN: 0446328898 |
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Lone Star Rising
Gertrude Crownfield
Manufacturer: Kessinger Publishing, LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0548063443 |
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Lone Star Rising Part 1 Of 2
Robert Dallek
Manufacturer: Books on Tape, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette
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ASIN: 0736655832 |
Book Description
Part One Of Two Parts
Like other outsize figures of twentieth century American politics, Lyndon Johnson defies easy understanding. An unrivaled master of vote swapping, back-room deals, and election-day skullduggery, he represented a continuation of the New Deal with its commitment to the poor and underprivileged. With aides and colleagues, he could be overbearing, crude, and vindictive, but at other times he was shy, sophisticated, and magnanimous. Johnson was also a representative figure. His career speaks volumes about American politics, foreign policy, and business in the forty years after 1930. In LONE STAR RISING, Dallek examines this fascinating "sinner and saint," offering a brilliant, balanced and definitive portrait of a remarkable American politician. He pays full due to Johnson's failings, but he also illuminates his brilliance.
Books:
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- Manchild in the Promised Land
- Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer (P.S.)
- Masters of the Air: America's Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War Against Nazi Germany
- Masters of the Air: America's Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War Against Nazi Germany
- Men at War 1914-1918: National Sentiment and Trench Journalism in France during the First World War (Legacy of the Great War)
- Military Innovation In The Interwar Period
- Moscow to Stalingrad: Decision in the East (Army Historical)
- Night (Oprah's Book Club)
- Number the Stars
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- Real Estate Development: Principles and Process 3rd Edition
- The Trainer's Handbook: The Ama Guide to Effective Training
- The Marshal and the Madwoman
- Mitchell Beazley: Wineries with Style
- Peter Eisenman: Diagram Diaries
- American Arctic Lichens Volume No 1
Flawed Giant: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1960-1973
An Unfinished Life: John F. Kennedy, 1917-1963
Lyndon B. Johnson: Portrait of a President
Master of the Senate: The Years of Lyndon Johnson, (Vintage)
Nixon and Kissinger: Partners in Power
