‘Forget the Alamo’ and a Larry McMurtry remembrance
How in Texas could anyone ever forget the Alamo? It’s a cultural touchstone for Texans, not to mention folks the world over. Nonetheless, that provocative assignment is just what the authors of “Forget the Alamo” want you to do. “Forget the Alamo: The Rise and Fall of an American Myth” challenges Texans’ assumptions – and made some news in the process. The book was authored by Jason Stanford, Chris Tomlinson and Bryan Burrough. Tomlinson and Burrough spoke with David Brown in this Q&A from June.
‘Indian Among Los Indígenas’
Ursula Pike grew up on the West Coast of the United States. A Karuk Indian, she was very connected to a larger urban community of native peoples. In her book, Pike writes about her time in Bolivia with the Peace Corps and about how it changed the way she saw her own identity. Listen to her share more about “An Indian Among Los Indígenas: A Native Travel Memoir.”
‘Barefoot Dreams’
In 1913, during the Mexican Revolution, twelve-year-old Petra Luna and her family flee their burning village. That’s the conceit of a new book, “Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna.” We’ll hear from author Alda Dobbs.
‘On The Porch: Life and Music in Terlingua, Texas’
When you imagine a town built around music, Austin or Nashville might come to mind. But Terlingua might make you rethink that. Abandoned after World War II, Terlingua went nearly uninhabited for the next three decades; it was even named in the national registry of ghost towns. But author W. Chase Peeler writes that *music has breathed new life into Terlingua,” creating “an oasis for musicians big and small.” Peeler joined us in October to talk about “On the Porch: Life and Music in Terlingua, Texas.”
‘Borderland Curanderos’
At the turn of the 20th century, two curanderos – Mexican faith healers – changed and connected the Texas border community in a way that still resonates. Even though their healing practices were not sanctioned by the church or the government, they provided healing and spiritual sustenance to ethnic Mexicans, Indigenous peoples and Tejanos alike. A new book, “Borderlands Curanderos: The Worlds of Santa Teresa Urrea and Don Pedro Jaramillo” explores their impact. In this extended Q&A we’ll talk to author Jennifer Koshatka Seman.
‘Sports Revolution’
Texas has played an outsize role in shaping the sports culture of the nation. That’s the focus of “Sports Revolution: How Texas Changed the Culture of American Athletics.” Author Frank Andre Guridy, an associate professor of history and African-American and African diaspora studies at Columbia University, spoke to the Standard in March.
