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The Courthouse Square in Texas
By Robert E. Veselka
Edited by Kenneth E. Foote
"This book breaks new ground in the
interpretation of Texas townscapes. . . . It could serve as a 'field
guide' to Texas
courthouse squares."
—Richard V. Francaviglia, author of Main Street Revisited:
Time, Space, and Image Building in Small Town America
With its dignified courthouse set among shade trees and
lawns dotted with monuments to prominent citizens and fallen veterans,
the
courthouse square remains the civic center in a majority of the county
seats of Texas. Yet the squares themselves vary in form and layout,
reflecting
the different town-planning traditions that settlers brought from
Europe,
Mexico, and the United States. In fact, one way to trace settlement
patterns
and ethnic dispersion in Texas is by mapping the different types of
courthouse
squares.
This book offers the first complete inventory of Texas
courthouse squares, drawn from extensive archival research and site
visits to 139 of the 254 county seats. Robert Veselka classifies every
existing plan by
type and origin, including patterns and variants not previously
identified. He also explores the social and symbolic functions of these
plans as he discusses the historical and modern uses of the squares. He
draws interesting new conclusions about why the courthouse square
remains the hub of commercial and civic activity in the smaller county
seats, when it has lost its prominence in others.
The late Dr. Robert E. Veselka was a professional
geographer and native Texan with lifelong interests in the state's
architecture,
landscape, and history.
Table of
contents and excerpt
Clifton
and Shirley
Caldwell Texas Heritage Series
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Echoes of Love From Heavens Above
by Mickey Nivelli
Can love survive death? Do the voices of those who cross
the Great Divide comfort and guide the living? How does one retain
faith
when unrelenting hatred and evil assail one's life?
The answers to these and other pertinent questions are
illuminated in Echoes of Love From Heavens Above, based on the
true-life story of Lotte, who transformed her suffering into spiritual
enlightenment.
Spanning from the most terrifying period of human
history, to the glitz and glamour of show business, this book is a
shining testament to the power of love, faith, hope and tolerance.
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The Words We Live By
Your Annotated Guide
to the Constitution
by Linda R. Monk
An entertaining and
informative look at America's most important historical document, from
an award-winning journalist.
Would national
identity cards impose on our liberty?
Did the Supreme
Court
really "choose" George W. Bush as our president?
Do campaign
contribution caps infringe on our freedom of speech?
The United States
Constitution is the basis for our most fundamental rights as Americans,
and is a key element in nearly every major legal and political debate
ever argued. But how many of us actually understand the language used
by our Founding Fathers?
Now Linda R. Monk,
an
award-winning author and journalist, takes us through the Constitution,
line by line, to help us comprehend this amazing document. From the
Preamble,
which she analyzes with inspiration from Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Charlton
Heston, and James Madison, to each and every amendment, Monk enlightens
us by offering insight, legal expertise, surprising facts and trivia,
opposing interpretations, and historical anecdotes to breathe life into
this provocative and hallowed document.
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ONE NATION
LIFE's editors have assembled a
powerful, heartbreaking, inspiring account if the events of Sept. 11,
2001, and their aftermath. ONE NATION is not just accounts of the
tragedies
in New York, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania; it is also a
celebration of strength, unity and heroism.
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To America
Personal Reflections of an Historian
In To America, Stephen E. Ambrose,
reflects on his long career as an American historian and explains what
an historian's job is all about. He celebrates America's
spirit, which has carried us so far. He confronts its failures
and struggles. As always in his much acclaimed work, Ambrose brings
alive the men and women, famous and not, who have peopled our history
and made the United States a model for the world.
Read an Excerpt
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Sophie's Heart
by Lori Wick
Steal away for a precious moment caught up in this contemporary
heartwarming romance from best-selling author Lori Wick. Enjoy the
tenderness, humor and faithfulness of this story about a young
immigrant woman who comes
to start a new life in the United States. Soon a new friendship leads
her
to the man who may just be her forever love.
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Robert B. Parker
Back Story: A Spenser Novel
There is one trait about mystery series, which might not hold water for
all readers, that I find interesting. As a series moves over the years,
the interest moves from the case work to the personality of the
detectives. When I first read Spenser I read the books for the puzzles
and the action sequences. Now, I read them because of the
characters--who feel like old friends--and what is happening. Each book
of the series, in brief, becomes like a letter from an old friend.
"Back Story" is such a book. The actions of Spenser, Hawk, and Susan
are so well known to followers of the series that we are not surprised
by Spenser's price for solving the mystery, the bond between Hawk and
Spenser which allows them to move from Standard English to a form of
Black English and the reactions of Spenser to attempts at pulling him
off the case.
It is a salute to Parker's ability as a writer that he keeps these
characters and their actions fresh.
There is also a reality about the death of Pearl the Wonder Dog and the
pain which comes from such a loss. Pearl was a highpoint of the series
because a reader (at least this one!)could see himself watching his dog
all the time, noting her reactions, and having the feel of a proud
owner/friend.
Pearl was always in the background and she would be missed and griefed
over. We also lost a dog and the feelings are real. The buying of a new
dog to take the mantle of the older dog was something I have done--a
nice touch of realism.
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