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<\/span><\/span>Texas Reads<\/span>>> archive<\/span><\/a><\/span>Glenn Dromgoole<\/span><\/h1>\n12.2.2018\u00a0 A dozen favorite Texas books from 2018<\/h1>\n
<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/lonestarliterary.etypegoogle10.com\/sites\/lonestarliterary.etypegoogle10.com\/files\/description\/center%2c%20how%20to%20walk%20away_cover%20sm.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/a><\/span><\/span>Over the course of the year, I receive probably 200 or more books<\/span> to consider for Texas Reads, and I try to get around to as many as possible. So far I\u2019ve been able to write about, or at least mention, 110 titles by Texas authors or about Texas subjects, covering a wide range of interests and genres, and I hope to get around to several more this month before taking off a couple of weeks.<\/p>\nAs we enter the home stretch, here are a dozen of my favorites from the year. They\u2019re not necessarily the best, or the best-selling, Texas books, just some that I found particularly appealing.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s start with two entertaining titles: W. F. Strong\u2019s<\/span> book of Stories from Texas: Some of Them Are True<\/span> ($11.99 paperback) and 100 Things to Do in Texas Before You Die<\/span> by E.R. Bills<\/span> ($18 paperback). Both are fun to read, and I learned something from each one that I didn\u2019t know about Texas.<\/p>\nI\u2019ve mentioned several times that this has been a good year for elegant coffee-table books. My three favorites (it was a hard choice) are A Mile Above Texas<\/span> featuring spectacular aerial photographs by Jay B. Sauceda<\/span> ($45 hardcover); Horses of the American West: Portrayals by Twenty-Four Artists <\/span>by Heidi Brady<\/span> and Scott White<\/span> ($40 hardcover); and As Far As You Can See: Picturing Texas, <\/span>gorgeous nature photos by Kenny Braun<\/span> ($45 hardcover).<\/p>\nFiction? <\/span>A lot of good ones, but I\u2019ll go with mega-best-selling author James Patterson\u2019s<\/span> fast-paced Texas Ranger<\/span> ($28 hardcover, Andrew Bourelle<\/span> co-author) and Katherine Center\u2019s<\/span> How to Walk Away, <\/span>about a young woman\u2019s heroic struggle to survive after a private plane crash ($26.99 hardcover).<\/p>\nAnother favorite novel, intended for middle grade boys, is S.J. Dalstrom\u2019s<\/span> Black Rock Brothers<\/span> ($9.95 paperback), the fifth book in his \u201cThe Adventures of Wilder Good\u201d series, which I highly recommend.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/lonestarliterary.etypegoogle10.com\/sites\/lonestarliterary.etypegoogle10.com\/files\/description\/graham%2c%20giant_cover%20sm.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/a><\/span>Also, I have to include John Erickson\u2019s<\/span> 71st \u201cHank the Cowdog\u201d novel, The Case of the Monster Fire<\/span> ($5.99 paperback). The story grew out of the 2017 Panhandle wildfire that destroyed\u00a0 Erickson\u2019s own ranch home.<\/p>\nGotta have a couple of football books. My picks this year are The 50 Greatest Players in Dallas Cowboys History<\/span> by Robert W. Cohen<\/span> ($24.95 hardcover) and Playing for More: Trust Beyond What You Can See,<\/span> an inspiring story about faith, family and football by Abilene\u2019s own Case Keenum,<\/span> now the quarterback for the Denver Broncos ($22.95 hardcover).<\/p>\nFinally, I really enjoyed Don Graham\u2019s<\/span> book going behind the scenes of one of Texas\u2019s iconic movies, Giant: Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, James Dean, Edna Ferber and the Making of a Legendary American Film<\/span> ($27.99 hardcover). After I read it, I checked out the DVD from the library and watched Giant <\/span>again for the first time in several years.<\/p>\n* * * * *<\/p>\n
Glenn Dromgoole<\/span>\u2019s most recent book is The Book Guy.<\/span> Contact him at g.dromgoole@suddenlink.net.<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n
<\/div>\n<\/a><\/span><\/span>Over the course of the year, I receive probably 200 or more books<\/span> to consider for Texas Reads, and I try to get around to as many as possible. So far I\u2019ve been able to write about, or at least mention, 110 titles by Texas authors or about Texas subjects, covering a wide range of interests and genres, and I hope to get around to several more this month before taking off a couple of weeks.<\/p>\n As we enter the home stretch, here are a dozen of my favorites from the year. They\u2019re not necessarily the best, or the best-selling, Texas books, just some that I found particularly appealing.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s start with two entertaining titles: W. F. Strong\u2019s<\/span> book of Stories from Texas: Some of Them Are True<\/span> ($11.99 paperback) and 100 Things to Do in Texas Before You Die<\/span> by E.R. Bills<\/span> ($18 paperback). Both are fun to read, and I learned something from each one that I didn\u2019t know about Texas.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve mentioned several times that this has been a good year for elegant coffee-table books. My three favorites (it was a hard choice) are A Mile Above Texas<\/span> featuring spectacular aerial photographs by Jay B. Sauceda<\/span> ($45 hardcover); Horses of the American West: Portrayals by Twenty-Four Artists <\/span>by Heidi Brady<\/span> and Scott White<\/span> ($40 hardcover); and As Far As You Can See: Picturing Texas, <\/span>gorgeous nature photos by Kenny Braun<\/span> ($45 hardcover).<\/p>\n Fiction? <\/span>A lot of good ones, but I\u2019ll go with mega-best-selling author James Patterson\u2019s<\/span> fast-paced Texas Ranger<\/span> ($28 hardcover, Andrew Bourelle<\/span> co-author) and Katherine Center\u2019s<\/span> How to Walk Away, <\/span>about a young woman\u2019s heroic struggle to survive after a private plane crash ($26.99 hardcover).<\/p>\n Another favorite novel, intended for middle grade boys, is S.J. Dalstrom\u2019s<\/span> Black Rock Brothers<\/span> ($9.95 paperback), the fifth book in his \u201cThe Adventures of Wilder Good\u201d series, which I highly recommend.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a><\/span>Also, I have to include John Erickson\u2019s<\/span> 71st \u201cHank the Cowdog\u201d novel, The Case of the Monster Fire<\/span> ($5.99 paperback). The story grew out of the 2017 Panhandle wildfire that destroyed\u00a0 Erickson\u2019s own ranch home.<\/p>\n Gotta have a couple of football books. My picks this year are The 50 Greatest Players in Dallas Cowboys History<\/span> by Robert W. Cohen<\/span> ($24.95 hardcover) and Playing for More: Trust Beyond What You Can See,<\/span> an inspiring story about faith, family and football by Abilene\u2019s own Case Keenum,<\/span> now the quarterback for the Denver Broncos ($22.95 hardcover).<\/p>\n Finally, I really enjoyed Don Graham\u2019s<\/span> book going behind the scenes of one of Texas\u2019s iconic movies, Giant: Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, James Dean, Edna Ferber and the Making of a Legendary American Film<\/span> ($27.99 hardcover). After I read it, I checked out the DVD from the library and watched Giant <\/span>again for the first time in several years.<\/p>\n * * * * *<\/p>\n Glenn Dromgoole<\/span>\u2019s most recent book is The Book Guy.<\/span> Contact him at g.dromgoole@suddenlink.net.<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n