Texas History Online Book Club by Texas PBS!

Join the first online book group devoted to Texas History!

Texas PBS is proud to announce the first online book group devoted to Texas History, in conjunction with the new Texas, Our Texas initiative.

The group will be a reader-led experience, with Texas PBS bringing in authors/experts and documentaries/artwork to create a multifaceted, educational and interesting experience for group members.

The first book discussion will be Jan Reid’s Let the People In: The Life and Times of Ann Richards.

Go to www.texaspbs.org/texasourtexas/

to become part of the inaugural discussion of this ground-breaking group!

Special Announcement:

Author Jan Reid will join the club for a web chat live from the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum Wednesday, May 29th at 8:00 pm. Find out more information about this special event at www.texaspbs.org/texasourtexas/

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Travel Spotlight! 

Gage Gardens
Click on the photo for a
closer look!

On Tuesday, we headed to Marathon and visited Gage Gardens across the railroad track from the historic Gage Hotel.  Too many folks travel through Marathon and don't take the time to explore, and they're missing so much! 

The Gardens offer an oasis and a hideaway for anyone wanting to enjoy a quiet place for birdwatching, leisurely walks, or even a few minutes on the putting green! 


 

12 Days of Christmas: Cinco Puntos Press

One of our favorite books on the Mexican Revolution; a moving book.  We use it as a reference for our exploration of El Paso. 

This one is also a favorite of ours...the photographs are very moving.

There's a youngster on our list who will love this one!

 

 

We're big readers, we admit it.  And we love reading about the history and culture of our region...and for that, there's a great El Paso publisher that offers a terrific selection of books, Cinco Puntos Press.  For more thank 25 years, they've consistently published volumes of quality with a focus on our culture.  Want to learn a little bit about them?  Click here.

And yes, you can order online!  Visit their website, here.

Interested in books in Spanish?  Their bilingual catalog is here.
Interested in books for young people?  Their YA catalog is here.

Click on these links to learn more about the books above!
MAXIMILIAN & THE MYSTERY OF THE GUARDIAN ANGEL, A Bilingual Lucha Libre Thriller
LAS SOLDADERAS, Women of the Mexican Revolution
RINGSIDE SEAT TO A REVOLUTION, An Underground Cultural History of El Paso and Juarez: 1893-1923

 

12 Days of Christmas AND Small Business Saturday, Celebrating and Patronizing our Far West Texas business people!

Inside Alpine's Front Street Books

Included in Front Street's holiday catalog!

We're continuing our feature called the 12 Days of Christmas to highlight the special places you can do holiday shopping in the region.  Today is also Small Business Saturday, and so we thought a business with TWO regional locations, with great holiday shopping was the perfect choice.

Front Street Books, with shops in both Alpine and Marathon, hosts events and readings and promotes books and authors with a regional connection.  We love their Texana section, as well as their travel/adventure/map section to help us plan all our outings. On December 3, they're hosting a holiday event at their Marathon store, La Fiesta de Nochebuena.

Their holiday catalog makes the case for shopping with local retailers:

"When you spend $100 with your local retailer, $68 stays in your community, compared with $43 per $100 spent at a national chain, and $0 when you buy online."

Front Street is holding a 30% off special during the holidays....all the books in their 2011 Winter Catalog qualify for this offer!  We were happy to see that one of our favorite bloggers, Lisa Fain, of the Homesick Texan's cookbook, is in the catalog...so onto our holiday list goes the Homesick Texan Cookbook!)

Don't live in the region, or can't get to one of their stores?  Just give them a call (432-837-3360), and do your holiday shopping over the phone!  They welcome that! 

Most places don't even have independent bookstores anymore, but we're blessed with several GREAT ones...in addition to Front Street two locations, consider shopping at:

Marfa Book Company, Marfa  (They also host WONDERFUL events, exhibits and readings!)
The Bookery on El Paso's Mission Trail

Patronize small businesses today!

Read all about it!

We've been posting about the history of the Mexican Revolution the past couple of days, and wanted you to know about another great place to visit in the city, Cinco Puntos Press.  An independent publisher of wonderful books about the Southwest, this press has several great books on the history of the revolution.  You can visit them yourself to see their full selection of books for kids, young adults and adults--both fiction and non-fiction.  Catch them at 701 Texas Avenue in El Paso, just east of downtown.

We keep their Ringside Seat to a Revolution by David Dorado Romo in our car, so we can find historic sites related to the revolution as we travel through El Paso!

Border Healing Woman

Hidden under a lantana plant in the Van Horn cemetery is the grave of Jewell Babb, a healer who lived in Valentine, Van Horn, and near Sierra Blanca. A book, Border Healing Woman, tells the story of her life and her work. Her healing powers are well-remembered by people still living in the area.

Read more about it on our women's memoirs page, here.

Hallie's Hall of Fame

One of the most famous Far West Texans is ranchwoman, Hallie Stillwell. The museum dedicated to telling the story of her life--and it is a GOOD story--is located just north of Big Bend National Park on her family's ranch. She came to ranching as a young bride and persevered, taking over the family business when her husband passed away.

Her autobiography is a regional best-seller. You can learn more about her books on our Texas Mountain Trail reading page of women's memoirs, here.