17 New Texas Titles Now on BARD!

Posted on January 10, 2023 by John Berkeland

Start 2023 by resolving to read more Texas titles on BARD!

This assortment of Texas titles features notorious outlaws, a free thinking preacher, and Texas League baseball. A dash of mystery, train robbing, and Beatlemania guarantees a rousing start to your New Reading Year.

Read Up!

ABOVE US ONLY SKY by Michele Young-Stone
DBC 26717
Prudence Eleanor Vilkas was born with heart-shaped wings on her back. Although they were removed, the adult Prudence searches for a greater connection to her past. When she reunited with her long-estranged Lithuanian grandfather, they set off on a journey to discover a lineage of miraculous bird-women who traversed continents and fought wars to unearth their extraordinary place in the world. Commercial audiobook. Some violence. 2015.

BURROWS: A RED RIVER MYSTERY by Reavis Z. Wortham
DBC 25008
Lyndon B. Johnson is President, Beatlemania is in overdrive and gasoline costs 30 cents a gallon when Ned Parker retires as constable in Center Springs, Texas. But his plan to live a quiet life as a cotton farmer is torpedoed. A phone call leads Ned to a body in the Red River and into the urgent investigation headed by his nephew, the newly elected constable Cody Parker. Together they work to head off a multi-state killing spree that sets northeast Texas on fire. As the weeks pass, Ned’s grandchildren, ten-year-old Top and his tomboy cousin Pepper, struggle with personal issues resulting from their traumatic experiences at the Rock Hole only months before. They now find themselves in the middle of a nightmare for which no one can prepare. Cody and Deputy John Washington, the law south of the tracks, follow a lead from their small community to the long abandoned Cotton Exchange warehouse in Chisum. Stunned, they find the Exchange packed full of the town’s cast off garbage and riddled with booby-trapped passageways and dark burrows. Despite Ned’s warnings, Cody enters the building and finds himself relying on his recent military experiences to save both himself and Big John. Unfortunately, the trail doesn’t end there and the killing spree continues. Commercial audiobook. Strong language and some violence. 2012.

COLD ANGER: A STORY OF FAITH AND POWER POLITICS by Mary Beth Rogers
DBC 26859
This is the story of Ernesto Cortes, a community organizer determined to change the structure of Texas. It is also about a new kind of intervention in politics by working poor people who incorporate their religious values into a struggle for power and visibility. Cortes and his groups have transformed the politics of San Antonio, ninth largest city in the country, and are part of a new American grass-roots politics for the 1990s.

DARK PLACES: A RED RIVER MYSTERY by Reavis Z. Wortham
DBC 26734
At the tail end of 1967, the Parker family once again finds it impossible to hide from a world spinning out of control. Fourteen-year-old Top still can’t fit in with their Center Springs, Texas, community or forget recent, vicious crimes. His near-twin cousin Pepper, desperate to escape her own demons, rashly joins the Flower Children flocking to California—just as two businessmen are kidnapped and murdered in the Red River bottoms on the same night a deadly hit and run kills a farmer. Constable Ned Parker wonders if these crimes are connected, but he goes after Pepper, leaving the investigation in the hands of Sheriff Cody Parker. Parker hires Deputy Anna Sloan, an investigator with an eye toward detail as everyone is eyeing her. Yet it is instinct that propels her after killers through a world nearly forgotten. What of Pepper? Out on Route 66, the Mother Road to California, a man named Crow isn’t what he seems. Lies, deceptions, and a band of outlaw motorcyclists proves to the Parkers that no matter where you turn, no matter what you do, the world is full of such darkness that even grandmothers are capable of unspeakable deeds. Commercial audiobook. Strong language and some violence. 2015.

HANDS UP!: THE HISTORY OF A CRIME by Alfred Rasmus Sorenson
DBC 26852
This was the first account written about notorious outlaw Sam Bass and his gang, published in 1878, just months after the infamous train robbery at Big Springs, Nebraska. The story begins with the robbery of $60,000 in freshly minted gold pieces, covers the pursuit of the six gang members, and ends with the shooting of half the gang. Violence and strong language.

HAWKE’S PREY by Reavis Z. Wortham
DBC 26810
It’s a stunning attack, lightning quick and chilling in its execution. A merciless gang of terrorists seizes the Presidio County Courthouse in the midst of the worst blizzard West Texas has seen in a century. Loaded down with enough firepower to outfit an army, the attackers slaughter dozens, take all survivors hostage, and assume complete control. The nation—and the US government—are at their mercy. Or so they think. They don’t know that a seasoned Texas Ranger is also inside the courthouse. Sonny Hawke has hauled in some of America’s most wanted. Now he’s up against his most dangerous adversary yet. Sonny likes his chances. The enemy is his to take down—one by one. Until he’s face-to-face with the ruthless mastermind gunning for our very freedom. Commercial audiobook. Unrated. 2017.

JUSTICE AT REDWILLOW by John D. Nesbitt
DBC 18619
Jim Fontaine wants to get a new start in life by settling on his own piece of land near the town of Redwillow. He isn’t there very long, though, when a saloon girl named Emma turns up dead and a friend of his, Charley Drake, gets thrown in jail for the murder. Nora Winterborne, who is new in town, confides to Fontaine that she is Emma’s sister, but has to keep quiet. After the disappearance of another woman and a trespasser on his homestead, Fontaine must follow a trail of twisted stories, old crimes, and new murders to help bring about justice in Redwillow. Some violence and some strong language.

PREDATOR’S WALTZ by Jay Brandon
DBC 26848
Suspenseful story of Vietnamese gangs in Houston and the innocent people who get caught in their crossfire. Also the story of one man’s metamorphosis from laid-back product of the sixties to fearless and clever warrior; his confrontations with the gangsters will have readers cheering at the climax. Strong language and violence.

ROCK HOLE: A RED RIVER MYSTERY by Reavis Z. Wortham
DBC 25007
It’s a whole other country out there. In 1964, when Ned Parker, farmer and part-time constable, is summoned to a cornfield one hot morning to examine the remains of a tortured bird dog, he discovers that there is a dark presence in their quiet community of Center Springs, Texas. Ned is usually confident handling moonshiners, drunks, and instances of domestic dispute. But when it comes to animal atrocities—which then turn to murder—the investigation spins beyond his abilities. Ned combines forces with John Washington, a well-known black deputy sheriff from nearby Paris, Texas, to track down a disturbed individual who has become a threat to their small community. As the case takes a dizzying series of twists and brings forth eccentric characters as well as several dead ends, Ned’s cranky friend, Judge O. C. Rains, is forced to contact the FBI. Then, sinister warnings that his family has been targeted by the killer lead Ned to the startling discovery that he knows the murderer very well. After the failed abduction of his precocious grandchildren, Top and Pepper, the old lawman becomes judge and jury to end what has become a murder spree in the Red River bottomlands. And it signals the end of an era in Center Springs. In bald-headed, pot-bellied Ned Parker, Wortham has created an authentic American hero reminiscent of the best heroes and antiheroes in a story that blends country humor with heart-pounding suspense and ends with a stunning climax that may well shock our civilized sensibilities. Commercial audiobook. Violence and strong language. 2011.

PARSON HENRY RENFRO: FREE THINKING ON THE TEXAS FRONTIER by William Clark Griggs
DBC 26849
The period after Texas’ Revolution was turbulent as Texans contended with religious issues, family life on the frontier, and the Civil War. Migrating to Texas in 1851, Renfro enrolled in fledgling Baylor University and became a Baptist preacher. Later, inspired by the writings of such men as Thomas Paine and Spinoza, Renfro embraced the Free Thought Movement and was disenfranchised by the Church. This biography tells the reader much about the era’s social mores.

RIGHT SIDE OF WRONG: A RED RIVER MYSTERY by Reavis Z. Wortham
DBC 26732
In 1965 Constable Cody Parker’s frightening dreams of gathering storm clouds for the tight-knit Parker family from Center Springs, Texas, proved accurate. Cody is ambushed and nearly killed on a lonely country road during an unusually heavy snowfall. With that attack, the locals fear that a disturbed murderer the Skinner has returned to their community. While his nephew recovers, Constable Ned Parker struggles to connect a seemingly unrelated series of murders. As the summer of 1966 approaches, rock and roll evolves to reflect the increasing unrest in the country, and the people of northeast Texas wonder why their once peaceful community has suddenly become a dangerous place to live. Ned’s preteen grandchildren, Top and Pepper, are underfoot at every turn. The two lawmen, along with the Deputy John Washington, cross paths with many colorful citizens, including cranky old Judge O. C. Rains, the jittery farmer Isaac Reader, and the Wilson boys, Ty Cobb and Jimmy Foxx. And then there’s the arrival in their small community of a mysterious old man named Tom Bell. Now recovered, Cody decides to follow his main suspect across the Rio Grande and into Mexico. Ned understands that to save his nephew, he will have to cross more than a river-he will have to cross over to the right side of wrong. Humor, suspense, horror, precognition, and life in the tumultuous 1960s all play a part in the solving of this mystery. Commercial audiobook. Violence and strong language. 2013.

TEXAS BAD BOY by Jean Brashear
DBC 18644
Everyone thinks Lacey DeMille is the next thing to royalty, a society girl with beauty, brains and money–but bad boy Devlin Marlowe knows better. Twenty years after being exiled in disgrace for daring to want her, the boy from the wrong side of the tracks has sweet revenge in his grasp…for only he knows that her whole life is built on a lie. And revenge may be more costly than either of them can imagine. Commercial audiobook. Some strong language and some descriptions of sex. 2011.

TEXAS LEAGUE, 1888-1987: A CENTURY OF BASEBALL by Bill O’Neal
DBC 26844
A must for any baseball fan who wants to know who played where and when. Thirty-eight cities in eight states have held franchises in the Texas League. The author visited these ballparks, studied newspaper accounts and statistics from every season, and interviewed players, fans, and journalists.

TRAIN ROBBING BUNCH by Rick Miller
DBC 26853
A factual history of the life of outlaw Eugene Bunch based on primary research, including court and family records. Although Bunch is often mentioned as a shadowy outlaw figure, this is the first account of his life, allowing the reader a view of 19th century America for those who lived in violence. Violence.

UNRAVELED A RED RIVER MYSTERY by Reavis Z. Wortham
DBC 26735
The small, rural Northeast Texas community of Center Springs has seen its share of troubles during the 1960s, everything from kidnapping, murder, and bank robbery. By 1968, the residents think life has finally quieted down, but they find their peaceful way of life is quickly spinning out of control as a decades-long family feud between the Clays and Mayfields once again flares to life. Fourteen-year-old Top Parker who lives with his grandparents Constable Ned Parker and Miss Becky in a little farmhouse near the Red River finds himself caught up in another adult situation sparked by a mysterious fatal single car accident involving the white mayor of Chisum and his black female assistant. Questions and accusations arise about their relationship as the families wreak vengeance on each other. But what is the significance of a man calling himself the Wraith, who moves through region at will, invading homes and watching the Parkers? What is Maggie Clay s secret? That she’s half white and married to a black man with a long criminal past? And was Mayor Frank Clay, the only bright spot in a dark and cruel family, really what everything thinks he is? It’s a busy time for Sheriff Cody Parker, who finds himself a possible suspect in the murder of several residents. He takes the advice from his Deputy John Washington and removes himself from the investigation, giving free reign to both John and Deputy Anna Sloan as they try and unravel the answers by following different paths. Commercial audiobook. Strong language and some violence. 2016.

VENGEANCE IS MINE: A RED RIVER MYSTERY by Reavis Z. Wortham
DBC 26733
In October of 1967, the Summer of Love is history, rock and roll is dark and revolutionary, and people in the small east Texas community of Center Springs simply want to live their lives as quietly as possible. But a handsome darkness in the form of Las Vegas gangster Anthony Agrioli has left the business to hide out in their tiny backwater settlement with his blond bombshell girlfriend. Two years earlier, Agrioli met newlyweds Cody and Norma Faye Parker in a Vegas casino and heard their enthusiastic descriptions of the perfect place to settle down and raise a family. At least it was perfect, before their peaceful world found itself in the crosshairs of a coming confrontation. Back in Center Springs, thirteen-year-old Top Parker has what his grandmother, Miss Becky, calls a poisoned gift: his dreams, though random and disconnected, always seem to come true. This time Top dreams he’s a wagon hub with spokes converging from all directions. To him, the spokes symbolize that something is coming. He doesn’t know their quiet community will soon be a combat zone when the gangsters arrive. But they’re after something else, not Agrioli…yet. A sheriff crooked as a dog’s hind leg, an unsolved murder in the river bottoms, counterfeit money, and a bank robbery all wrapped in a country Shakespearean comedy once again bring together Constables Ned and Cody Parker, Deputy John Washington, Judge O. C. Rains, and the rest of Wortham’s real and sometimes wacky cast of characters. Commercial audiobook. Violence and strong language. 2014.

WALLS RISE UP by George Sessions Perry
DBC 24929
A hilarious novel combining dead-pan humor with shrewd observation as three Texas vagabonds Jimmy, Eddie and Mike, philosophical wayfarers, follow their destinies along the banks of the Brazos River.

12 New Texas Titles Now on BARD!

Posted on December 12, 2022 by John Berkeland

An eclectic mix of Texas icons highlight this selection of locally produced titles recently added to BARD. Audie Murphy, LBJ, and Janis Joplin share the spotlight, with a cameo by Bear Bryant. Add an underground classic, a collection of short stories as varied as the Lone Star state, and a touch of romantic suspense, and you have a blockbuster of reading.

AUDIE MURPHY, AMERICAN SOLDIER by Harold B. Simpson
DBC 26801
Audie Murphy, a Texas farm boy, became the highest decorated soldier in American history and went on to win additional fame as movie actor, song writer, and poet before his early death in a plane crash.

BEYOND DANGER by Kat Martin
DBC 26721
Texas mogul Beau Reese is furious. All six feet three obscenely wealthy, good-looking inches of him. His sixty-year-old father, Stewart, a former state senator no less, has impregnated a teenager. Barely able to contain his anger, Beau is in for another surprise. It appears that Stewart has moved an entirely different woman into the house. Beau assumes that stunning Cassidy Jones is his father’s mistress. At least she’s of age. But those concerns take a sudden backseat when he finds Stewart in a pool of blood on the floor of his study—and Cassidy walks in to find Beau with his hand on the murder weapon. The shocks just keep coming. Someone was following Stewart, and Cassidy is the detective hired to find out who and why. Now she’ll have to find his killer instead. Her gut tells her it wasn’t Beau. And Beau’s instincts tell him it wasn’t Cassidy. Determined to track down the truth, they form an uneasy alliance—one that will bring them closer to each other—closer to danger and beyond. Commercial audiobook. Unrated. 2018.

BEYOND REASON by Kat Martin
DBC 26720
Five weeks ago, Carly Drake stood at her grandfather’s grave. Now she’s burying Drake Trucking’s top driver, and the cops have no leads on the hijacking or murder. Faced with bankruptcy, phone threats and the fear of failure, Carly has to team up with the last man she wants to owe—Lincoln Cain. Cain is magnetic, powerful, controlling—and hiding more than one secret. He promised Carly’s granddad he’d protect her. The old man took a chance on him when he was nothing but a kid with a record, and now he’s the multi-millionaire owner of a rival firm. But Linc’s money can’t protect Carly from the men who’ll do anything to shut her down, or the secrets behind Drake Trucking. If she won’t sell out, the only way to keep her safe is to keep her close…and fight like hell. Commercial audiobook. Unrated. 2017.

DEMASIADOS MUERTOS by M.L. Estefania
DBC 26807
Una novela de vaquera de clase bolsilibro. DEMASIADOS MUERTOS (Too Many Dead Folks) is an example of a popular form of the western novel from Mexico called a bolsilibro (pocketbook).

LAST DAYS OF LOUISIANA RED by Ishmael Reed
DBC 26840
Reed’s highly acclaimed literary achievement is one of the most outspoken satires ever published in America. An underground classic, it exposes the hypocrisy of our contemporary political and social scenes.

LEGEND OF BEAR BRYANT by Mickey Herskowitz
DBC 26778
Ten years after the death of Coach Paul (Bear) Bryant in 1983, this is a re-issue of Houston Post sports columnist Mickey Herskowitz’s classic legacy of the remarkable coach who led both Texas A&M University and the University of Alabama. It is an honest portrait of the legendary football coach who was also one of the most complex and controversial personalities in the world of sports. Includes an Afterword written for this 1993 revised edition. Strong language.

PEARL: THE OBSESSIONS AND PASSIONS OF JANIS JOPLIN: A BIOGRAPHY by Ellis Amburn
DBC 26782
The author explores the life of Texas native Janis Joplin, one of the greatest rock stars of the 1960s counterculture. Through interviews with scores of people who knew her, the author relates Joplin’s trendsetting ways in San Francisco’s back-to-the-roots movement, and her ultimately doomed search for happiness in sex and drugs, money and fame. Descriptions of sex and strong language.

SEMI-PRIVATE ROOMS by Jim Sanderson
DBC 26793
The source of these stories are the antique beauty parlors, honky-tonks, and Texas Dairy Queens, as well as glass high rises and football stands. Cowboy wannabes, roughnecks, single mothers, illegal aliens, witches, and day laborers populate a fatalistic, ironic, and transient Texas landscape. Explicit descriptions of sex and strong language.

STONE BRUISE by James C. McCormick
DBC 26749
This semi-autobiographical, earnest first novel offers an engaging view of American life during the past few decades. The protagonist rises from Depression-era poverty to vast wealth and power, yet his life is marred by a spiritual emptiness. Ultimately, personal tragedy and a pilgrimage guide him toward a closer relationship with God and afford him a greater sense of inner peace.

STRANGE PEACHES: A NOVEL by Edwin Shrake
DBC 26809
A TV western star quits his successful series and returns to Dallas to make a documentary film that reveals the truth about his hometown. His quest forces him to learn if he is capable of using his six-gun for real as he moves from booze and radical politics in oil men’s palaces into the infamous Carousel Club and the underworld of arms and dope smuggling in a city ripe for the murder of a President. Some sex and some profanity.

SUMMER STOCK: BEHIND THE SCENES WITH LBJ IN ‘48: RECOLLECTIONS OF A POLITICAL DRAMA by Joe Phipps
DBC 24993
An insightful and funny look inside LBJ’s 1948 Senate campaign—the race that put him in the national political fast lane—by an aide-de-camp with a good memory and a flair for the descriptive. Strong language. For adult readers.

VETERANO RURAL by Fred Dennis
DBC 26806
Una novela de vaquera de clase bolsilibro. VETERANO RURAL (The Old-Timer) is an example of the popular form of western novel from Mexico called bolsilibro (pocketbook).

15 Texas Titles Now Available on BARD!

Posted on December 5, 2022 by John Berkeland

Texas, in all of its big, wonderful, bright, and tragic glory, is at the heart of this allotment of locally produced titles newly available on BARD.

Stephen Harrigan, Dick “Night Train” Lane, and Italian POWs in Umbarger are among the cast of characters who speak to the essence of being Texas.

A dash of courtroom drama, bulldogging school, romantic suspense, and a passel of infamous gunfighters complete this appetizing buffet of Lone Star literature.

BEING TEXAN: ESSAYS, RECIPES, AND ADVICE FOR THE LONE STAR WAY OF LIFE by the editors of Texas Monthly
DBC 26463
From the editors of Texas Monthly, a book of essays and recipes, covering everything you’ve ever wanted to know about being Texan. Commercial audiobook. Some strong language. 2021.

BEYOND CONTROL by Kit Martin
DBC 26722
When Victoria Bradford got engaged, she told herself to give love a chance. Six months later, she’s on the run from her angry, abusive ex-fiancé with her four-year-old daughter and nowhere to go. Seventy miles north of Dallas, the Iron River Ranch is pretty much nowhere. That’s what its new owner, Josh Cain, wanted when he came back from Afghanistan. Big skies, quiet nights, no trouble. One look tells Josh the pretty redhead with the adorable little girl will give him trouble of the most personal kind. But he’s seen trouble before, and he doesn’t scare easy. Not when “accidents” start happening around the ranch. Not when Tory’s best friend back in Phoenix is abducted and brutalized. Not even when it looks like their current problems are only the tip of the iceberg. But if he gets too close to fierce, determined Tory, Josh knows his nights are going to be anything but quiet. And that’s one possibility no amount of training can prepare him for. Commercial audiobook. Unrated. 2018.

BIG WONDERFUL THING: A HISTORY OF TEXAS by Stephen Harrigan
DBC 18807
The story of Texas is the story of struggle and triumph in a land of extremes. It is a story of drought and flood, invasion and war, boom and bust, and the myriad peoples who, over centuries of conflict, gave rise to a place that has helped shape the identity of the United States and the destiny of the world. “I couldn’t believe Texas was real,” the painter Georgia O’Keeffe remembered of her first encounter with the Lone Star State. It was, for her, “the same big, wonderful thing that oceans and the highest mountains are. BIG WONDERFUL THING invites us to walk in the footsteps of ancient as well as modern people along the path of Texas’s evolution. Blending action and atmosphere with impeccable research, New York Times best-selling author Stephen Harrigan brings to life with novelistic immediacy the generations of driven men and women who shaped Texas, including Spanish explorers, American filibusters, Comanche warriors, wildcatters, Tejano activists, and spellbinding artists―all of them taking their part in the creation of a place that became not just a nation, not just a state, but an indelible idea. Written in fast-paced prose, rich with personal observation and a passionate sense of place, Big Wonderful Thing calls to mind the literary spirit of Robert Hughes writing about Australia or Shelby Foote about the Civil War. Like those volumes, it is a big book about a big subject, a book that dares to tell the whole glorious, gruesome, epically sprawling story of Texas. Violence, strong language, and some descriptions of sex. 2019.

BRIGHT TRAGIC THING: A TALE OF CIVIL WAR TEXAS by L.D. Clark
DBC 26847
This novel recreates the lynching of more than 40 Union men by Confederate extremists in a kangaroo court—an incident known to history as the “Great Hanging at Gainesville, Texas.” For the narrator, this two-week period was pivotal in his long life. The author is a Professor Emeritus of English and adept at bringing to life the dialects of rural Texas. Explicit descriptions of sex, strong language and violence.

CUADRILLA DE TRUHANES by Keith Luger
DBC 26808
CUADRILLA DE TRUHANES (A Band of Outlaws) is an example of a popular form of the western novel from Mexico called a bolsilibro (pocketbook).

“FACTS AS I REMEMBER THEM”: THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF RUFE LEFORS by Rufe LeFors
DBC 26805
The autobiography of a West Texas pioneer whose life spanned the period from the Civil War to the early 20th century. In his time LeFors was a trail driver, pony express rider and rancher. He traveled with Arrington’s Texas Rangers and was sheriff in the wild west town of Old Mobeetie. With a sharp eye for detail and a keen ear for language and timing, he creates a narrative that captures the flavor of his life and those exciting times. Contains some profanity.

FADE THE HEAT by Jay Brandon
DBC 26843
The newly elected district attorney of San Antonio has a problem: his son has been arrested for sexual assault and his new political career is suddenly on the line. Should he prosecute the son he realizes he hardly knows, or should he “fade the heat” from his son and protect his family? This is a courtroom drama about the lengths to which a man will go to protect what matters most. Strong language.

FAREWELL: A MEMOIR OF A TEXAS CHILDHOOD by Horton Foote
DBC 26889
The prize-winning writer of drama and screenplays reminisces about his family experiences in Wharton, a small Texas town. Describes his parents’ circumstances at the time of his birth in 1916 and continues until he leaves home at age seventeen to attend the Pasadena Playhouse in California.

GENERATIONS AND OTHER TRUE STORIES by Bryan Woolley
DBC 26797
This third collection of stories from journalist and novelist Bryan Woolley begins with the deeply moving title story, followed by twenty-six more stories and personality profiles which originally appeared in “The Dallas Morning News.” The author recalls the lost golden age of Mineral Wells, Texas, attends a bulldogging school in Madisonville, Texas, meets the Dallas Harlequins Rugby Football Club, and visits Roswell, New Mexico, site of an alleged UFO crash in 1947. His portraits of places and people are warm, sometimes funny but always genuine.

INDIANS, CATTLE, SHIPS, AND OIL: THE STORY OF W.M.D. LEE by Donald F. Schofield
DBC 26842
William McDole Lee moved from Wisconsin to Kansas to Texas in the early years of the frontier to forge a life for himself. Expertly chronicled in this work, Lee became an Indian trader, rancher, harbor developer and oil impresario and garnered the resources necessary to shape the financial destinies of disparate groups throughout the state.

INTERLUDE IN UMBARGER: ITALIAN POWS AND A TEXAS CHURCH by Donald Mace Williams
DBC 26851
During World War II, in the Texas Panhandle, 3,000 Italian prisoners of war were interned in a camp. In the last year of the war, the prisoners’ food rations were cut back, and only a handful of prisoners found a way to supplement their meager meals. Franco Di Bello, an Italian officer who spoke English, and a small band of fellow artists agreed to decorate St. Mary’s Church in Umbarger. This is their story.

MAXIMILIAN & THE BINGO REMATCH by Xavier Garza
DBC 18861
Edición bilingüe en inglés y español. Para grados 4 a 7 y lectores mayores.
Everybody is fighting in sixth-grader Maximilian’s world as his elderly aunts battle for the Queen Bingo trophy, his masked uncles wrestle for the tag-team title of the world, and his sweetheart and the “new girl” battle for Max’s heart. For grades 4-7 and older readers.
Bilingual: English and Spanish.

NIGHT TRAIN LANE: THE LIFE OF NFL HALL OF FAMER RICHARD “NIGHT TRAIN” LANE by Mike Burns
DBC 26215
Biography of Hall of Famer Richard “Night Train” Lane. He was born in Austin to a prostitute who left him in a dumpster when he was three months old. A nearby neighbor heard him crying, rescued him, and raised him. Lane went on to become a famous football player.

PAREJAS FELICES, CUENTAS EN ORDEN: 5 PASOS PARA TU ARMONIA FINANCIERA by Elaine King
DBC 18588
Un plan estratégica que ayuda a la parejas a fortalecer su relación por medio de una administración financiera inteligente y planificada. Vivir en pareja es un paso muy importante en la vida de todo ser humano, es suficientemente misterioso comprendernos a nosotros mismos, imagínate lo interesante que será́; entender a tu pareja. Cada persona posee una base de datos, depósitos de valores, experiencias, tendencias y actitudes hacia la vida y el dinero. Se dice que el 50% de las parejas que se casan terminan divorciándose, y el 70% de las parejas que se divorcian, lo hacen debido a algo que empezó́; con un malentendido financiero. Es imprescindible romper ese ciclo y prevenir que más parejas se separen por algo que puede mejorarse. Es por eso que las parejas de hoy deben tener un kit de sobrevivencia para enfrentar cualquier situación. Con preparación y capacitación adecuada, las parejas pueden incrementar las probabilidades de permanecer juntos por muchos años con un entendimiento mutuo del propósito del dinero de acuerdo a los valores de ambos.
Living as a couple is a very important step in the life of any human being, it is mysterious enough to understand ourselves, imagine how interesting will be to understand your partner. Each person brings along a database, values, experiences, trends and attitudes toward life and money. About 50% of all marriages end in divorce, and 70% of those couples got divorced due to something that started with a financial misunderstanding. It is essential to break this cycle and prevent that more couples are separated by something that can be improved. That is why couples should have a survival kit for facing any situation, with the right tools, couples may increase their chances of staying together longer with a mutual understanding of the purpose of money according to the values of both. Spanish language. Unrated. 2017.

TRIGGERNOMETRY: A GALLERY OF GUNFIGHTERS: WITH TECHNICAL NOTES ON LEATHER SLAPPING AS A FINE ART, GATHERED FROM MANY A LOOSE HOLSTERED EXPERT OVER THE YEARS by Eugene Cunningham
DBC 26756
The author gives a short biography of 18 gunfighters of the old west, including John Wesley Hardin, Billy the Kid, Sam Bass and Butch Cassidy. Years of research, study, writing and revising resulted in this book, which is factual and authoritative, but also as interesting as a good novel. Good and bad and mixed of nature are shown here. But all played their part in the building of the western country.

15 New Texas Titles Now on BARD!

Posted on October 28, 2022 by John Berkeland

Legendary Texas ranches, politicians, and criminals come to life in this offering of Texas titles newly available on BARD.

Enjoy an unvarnished portrait of LBJ and survey the greatest ranch in the world, while separating the mythical Bonnie and Clyde from the cold reality.

Texas now has over 1,800 locally produced titles on BARD, by far the most of any regional library!

Read my lips: listen to these books!

BIG DADDY OF THE PEDERNALES: LYNDON BAINES JOHNSON by Paul Keith Conkin (DBC 26773)

An exceptionally clear and fair biography of the President who has been called “America’s last frontier President.” LBJ’s essentially paternalistic views of politics and of himself (Big Daddy) and the stamp of his Hill Country upbringing (from the Pedernales) provide historian Conkin with keys to the life of this difficult, tempestuous and brilliant President.

CABALLERO: A HISTORICAL NOVEL by Jovita Gonzalez Mireles (DBC 26785)

A significant contribution to Mexican-American and Texas literature, this novel, written in the 1930s and 1940s, was recently discovered in a collection of private papers. The story opens in 1846. A wealthy Mexican landowner and his family living in the heart of South Texas learn with shock that their homeland is about to be annexed by the powerful giant to the north, the United States. The patriarch struggles to maintain his family traditions, no matter what the cost to the individual members of his family.

COURAGEOUS: 10 STRATEGIES FOR THRIVING IN A HOSTILE WORLD by Robert Jeffress (DBC 26716)

Christians face relentless attacks from an ungodly culture, a formidable adversary, and our own fallen natures. Yet we cannot afford to surrender to these very real enemies. Just as survivalists use ten specific strategies to overcome threatening situations, Courageous explains ten biblical strategies for surviving-and thriving-in a world that is hostile to our faith. As A. W. Tozer said, ‘A scared world needs a fearless church.’ Courageous is a clarion call for Christians to boldly live out their faith. If you’ve felt your faith is under attack, if you’re struggling with the temptation to follow the crowd despite biblical teaching to the contrary, or if you’re just feeling weary, the ten strategies in Courageous will provide fresh fire and new hope. Commercial audiobook. 2020.

DOG TACOS by Terry McChesney (DBC 18402)

It’s Friday and Mike wakes up brutalized from a 50/50 grind on a handrail gone awry the night before. Despite his cuts, bruises and sore muscles, Mike can’t wait to skateboard tonight. He, David and Cedric have planned to skate in the forbidden zone downtown and go to a party afterwards. Cedric has an added surprise for his buddies—dinner across the border in Mexico at a suspicious looking little hole in the wall he calls Dog Tacos. Before the night is over, the friends will come face-to-face with the most notorious gang in town, be detained and interrogated at the U.S. border and be hailed as heroes on the local news. Mike’s heart and loyalty will also be tested. This night will challenge the friends like no other. The unexpected rewards far outweigh the night’s events.

DEAD WRECKONING by Sylvia Dickey Smith (DBC 18411)

Sidra Smart’s search for an elusive schooner stirs up a bayou bonanza of treasure hunters, smugglers, and the spirits of the infamous Jean Lafitte and his pirate queen, Mary Anne Radcliff. Strong language. 2012.

GIVE ME ONE SUMMER by Emilie Baker Loring (DBC 18371)

In one thrilling summer in Maine, lovely young Melissa Barclay finds mystery, danger and glowing romance. Beautiful and impetuous, Melissa had grown up in an atmosphere of security and ease. But now suddenly that life had ended, and she found herself totally alone. To whom could she turn? Whom could she trust? Johnny Grant, the wealthy playboy she’d known since childhood? Or Lex Carson, the mysterious, handsome stranger who asked for her love, yet remained so strangely distant? At first Lissa thought she had the whole summer to decide. But then, amid feverishly mounting intrigue and danger, she knew she would have to make the right choice soon—or lose her chances of happiness forever.

HOMEFRONT MURDERS by D.R. Meredith (DBC 18827)

When the mummified remains of a World War II GI are unearthed in the sub-basement of the Crawford County Courthouse, the residents, well-known for their nonstop gossip, are suddenly as quiet as the soldier’s grave. Sheriff Charles Matthews is frustrated by the town’s silence. He isn’t planning to arrest anyone for a murder more than 50 years old, but he does want to bury the soldier’s remains with a name other than John Doe. One of the local oldsters must know that name, but no one, not even his spinster dispatcher, Miss Poole, will talk. Whoever John Doe was, he still frightens Crawford County’s senior citizens 50 years after his death. Commercial audiobook. Strong language. 1995.

INTO THIN AIR by Thomas Zigal (DBC 26791)

When Kurt Miller, ex-hippie sheriff of Aspen, Colorado, finds a body in the Roaring Fork River, he plunges into a complex case involving Argentinian terrorists, local politics, his own marital problems, and doubts about his suitability for the job. Descriptions of sex, strong language and violence.

INTRODUCING THE BIBLE by William Barclay (DBC 26776)

The author was a Bible scholar and teacher at the University of Glasgow. Chapters include: “The Ancient Book,” “The Making of the Old Testament,” “The Making of the New Testament,” “The Apocrypha,” “How to Study the Bible,” and “The Inspired Book.” A structured approach to bible study for the serious student.

KING RANCH by Tom Lea (DBC 26783)

The hundred year story of the greatest ranch in the world and the man who built it from scratch.

LIVES AND TIMES OF BONNIE AND CLYDE by E.R. Milner (DBC 26781)

The author cuts through myth and legend to reveal the truth about the infamous criminal duo Bonnie and Clyde. He traces their backgrounds, noting the events that bring the two outlaws together, and follows their violent path until their death in an ambush. Violence. For adult readers.

READ MY LIPS: CLASSIC TEXAS POLITICAL QUOTES by Kirk Dooley (DBC 26794):

Texans such as Sam Houston, Lyndon Johnson, Ross Perot, and Molly Ivins.

TEXAS COWBOY: THE ORAL MEMOIRS OF ROLAND A. WARNOCK AND HIS LIFE ON THE TEXAS FRONTIER by Roland A. Warnock (DBC 26784)

Born in 1896, Roland Warnock was a working cowboy on the huge Guadalupe Ranch in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas at the age of 12. He took part in trail drives, fought Mexican banditos and saw his father killed on the streets of Mission. His memoirs show the old west the way it really was. Violence.

THOUSAND TEXAS LONGHORNS by JOHNNY D. Boggs (DBC 26714)

The Civil War is over. The future of the American West is up for grabs. Any man crazy enough to lead a herd of Texas longhorns to the north stands to make a fortune—and make history. That man would be Nelson Story. A bold entrepreneur and miner, he knows a golden opportunity when he sees one. But it won’t be easy. Cowboys and bandits got guns, farmers got sick livestock, and the Army’s got their own reasons to stop the drive. Even worse, Story’s top hand is an ornery Confederate veteran who used to be his enemy. But all that is nothing compared to the punishing weather, the deadly stampedes—and the bloodthirsty wrath of the Sioux. Commercial audiobook. Violence and strong language. 2020. Spur Awards: Best Western Mass Market Paperback Novel, 2020.

WEAVER TAKES A WIFE by SHERI COBB SOUTH (DBC 18397)

Haughty Lady Helen Radney is one of London’s most beautiful women and the daughter of a duke, but her sharp tongue has frightened away most of her suitors. When her father gambles away his fortune, the duke’s only chance for recouping his losses lies in marrying off Lady Helen to any man wealthy enough to take a bride with nothing to recommend her but a lovely face and an eight-hundred-year-old pedigree. Enter Mr. Ethan Brundy, once an illegitimate workhouse orphan, now owner of a Lancashire textile mill and one of England’s richest men. When he glimpses Lady Helen at Covent Garden Theatre, he is instantly smitten and vows to marry her. But this commonest of commoners will have his work cut out for him if he hopes to win the heart of his aristocratic bride. 2014.

13 New Texas Titles on BARD!

Posted on October 4, 2022 by John Berkeland

Explore Texas past, present—and football—in this selection of locally produced titles available on BARD.

Ramble with Lonn Taylor from Galveston to El Paso, and rub elbows with outlaws, Pinkerton detectives, and Texas Rangers. Football fans can get the scoop on how an Arkansas Razorback salvaged America’s Team, while politicos can filibuster with Sam Rayburn.

And along the way, get a taste of “the best ice cream in the country.”

BLUE BELL ICE CREAM: A CENTURY AT THE LITTLE CREAMERY IN BRENHAM, TEXAS, 1907-2007 by Dorothy Mcleod Macinerney (DBC 18395)

Filled from cover to cover with historic photographs, colorful artwork, vintage ads, and interesting facts, the book gives readers a taste of what makes Blue Bell “the best ice cream in the country.” The story begins when Blue Bell wasn’t called Blue Bell and it didn’t yet make ice cream, takes you through three generations of the family-run business, and culminates with details about special centennial festivities.

BOAT PEOPLE: A NOVEL by Mary Gardner (DBC 26796)

This novel focuses on Galveston, Texas, and a community of newly arrived Vietnamese. Struggling to maintain a balance between Vietnam and America, her tough and funny characters live with one foot in each world. Descriptions of sex, violence, and strong language.

CONGRESSMAN SAM RAYBURN by Anthony Champagne (DBC 26758)

Sam Rayburn grew up as the son of a small farmer and one of eleven children. He knew poverty and the difficulties of rural life, but went on to become a powerful congressman, majority leader and Speaker of the House.

DESPERATE MEN; REVELATIONS FROM THE SEALED PINKERTON FILES by James David Horan (DBC 24963)

A collection of information about western outlaws taken from the actual files of the Pinkerton Detective Agency which was founded in 1850.

LO QUE TU CALLASTE by Caridad Bravo Adams (DBC 26755)

Dramatic novel of love, pride and revenge. Spanish language. Title in English: What You Keep Quiet About.

MALDAD DE UN VIEJO by M.L. Estefania (DBC 26762)

An innocent man is murdered by a gang leader (un viejo) and his men. It is then up to the inexperienced young sheriff to catch them. Spanish language. Title in English: The Evil of an Old Man.

NATURE OF TRUTH by Sergio Troncoso (DBC 18364)

Helmut Sanchez, a young researcher in the employ of renowned Yale professor Werner Hopfgartner, by chance discovers a letter written decades ago by his boss mocking guilt over the Holocaust. Appalled, Helmut digs into the scholar’s life to uncover evidence of Hopfgartner’s hateful past. Soon Helmut’s intellectual quest for the truth becomes a journey of justice and blood—one with unforeseen consequences. Violence, strong language, and explicit descriptions of sex.

PLACE IN EL PASO: A MEXICAN-AMERICAN CHILDHOOD by Gloria Lopez-Stafford (DBC 26779)

A memoir of growing up in El Paso in the 1940s and 1950s. The narrative begins as five-year-old Gloria, nicknamed “Yoya,” faces the death of her mother and other unexpected changes which separate her from her beloved barrio neighborhood. The search for her place becomes a search for identity as Gloria seeks to understand her various homes and families.

PRISONERS by Matthew Hart (DBC 25539)

Texas Ranger Sam Cody finds more danger than he bargained for when he teams up with beautiful Dr. Hope Baxter and aging lawman Eli Peyton to arrest Peyton’s wounded outlaw brother. The high-pitched level of sex and violence reminds us that the formula western isn’t what it once was. Some violence and some descriptions of sex. Book 9 of the Cody’s Law series.

RUTA DE LOS CARROS by M.L. Estefania (DBC 26760)

Spanish language western about gun running, cover-ups and an occasional romance. Spanish language. Title in English: Route of the Boxcars.

TEXAS, MY TEXAS: MUSINGS OF THE RAMBLING BOY by Lonn Taylor (DBC 18089)

In a collection of essays about Texas gathered from his West Texas newspaper column, Lonn Taylor traverses the very best of Texas geography, Texas history, and Texas personalities. Taylor writes a very honest, witty, and wise book about Texas past and Texas present. These essays are stories of legacies, of men and women, times, and places that have made this state what it is today. 2012.

TURNING THE THING AROUND: PULLING AMERICA’S TEAM OUT OF THE DUMPS—AND MYSELF OUT OF THE DOGHOUSE by Jimmy Johnson (DBC 24976)

The memoirs of football coach Jimmy Johnson, from his own college playing days with the Arkansas Razorbacks to his role in leading the Dallas Cowboys in their return to greatness. Strong language.

WILL OF GOD by LESLIE DIXON LEATHERHEAD (DBC 26775)

Five sermons were given in the author’s City Temple congregation and published in order that their contents might help others clarify their minds on a subject that is especially relevant: that “to understand the authentic will of God is to discover peace, and to lose fear and confusion.”

23 New Texas Titles Now on BARD!

Posted on September 26, 2022 by John Berkeland

A compelling cast of characters take center stage in this installment of locally produced titles newly available on BARD.

Pancho Villa, “Black Jack” Pershing, radio personality Lynn Woolley, and larger-than-life Texas artist Daddy-O Wade share the spotlight with 20 blind and visually impaired professionals who offer perspective on overcoming obstacles and achieving success.

Add a dash of spy thrillers, “preacher tales,” plus stories of famous events in Texas History, and you have top-notch entertainment worthy of the Giant Dancing Frogs of Dallas!

Learn more about the Texas Talking Book Program’s exceptional Volunteer Recording Studio online: www.tsl.texas.gov/tbp/vrs.

ANGELINA BALLERINA by Katharine Holabird (DBC 26777)

More than anything else in the world, Angelina loved to dance. She danced all the time and she danced everywhere, and often she was so busy dancing that she forgot about the other things she was supposed to be doing. For grades K-3.

APPLES OF GOLD by Jo Petty (DBC 26789)

A collection of hundreds of inspirational sayings about love, joy, peace, suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance.

BACK ON MURDER by J. Mark Bertrand (DBC 25483)

Roland March, a Houston detective with something to prove, gets a chance to redeem himself when he is transferred to a missing person case—the disappearance of the teenage daughter of a famous evangelist. Violence. 2010.

BOOK OF TEXAS DAYS by Ron Stone (DBC 26763)

A day-by-day account of famous events from Texas history with one or more stories for each day of the calendar year.

CAREER PERSPECTIVES: INTERVIEWS WITH BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED PROFESSIONALS (DBC 26435)

Here are the stories of how twenty different people, blind or visually impaired, decided on a professional career—often in the face of repeated discouragement—and achieved career success.

CULPA FUE DEL CABALLO by Keith Luger (DBC 26788)

La Culpa Fue del Caballo (It Was the Horse’s Fault) is an old-time western with poolhalls, sheriffs and even a Texas senator. Spanish language.

DADDY-O IGUANA HEADS AND TEXAS TALES by Bob Wade (DBC 24982)

Texas artist Bob “Daddy-O” Wade is known for his outlandish larger-than-life projects, such as a forty-foot iguana perched on the top of New York City’s Lone Star Cafe, and the Giant Dancing Frogs of Dallas. Here he tells stories of the people and places of his life, exposing the madness behind the methodology. Strong language.

DOUBLE JEOPARDY by William Bernhardt (DBC 24978)

Former Dallas cop Travis Byrne traded in his badge for a law degree. Appointed to defend the despicable thug Al Moroconi, Byrne’s reputation is on the line when Moroconi escapes court custody and vanishes into the Dallas underworld. On the trail of his errant client, Byrne finds himself caught between the mob and the FBI—and on the run for a murder he didn’t commit. Strong language.

EN BUSCA DE BERNABE by Graciela Limon (DBC 26271)

Since Luz Delcano’s son, Lucio, was taken from her, she is especially protective of Bernabe. Lucio becomes head of state security, the Salvadoran equivalent of a death squad, while Bernabe, destined for the priesthood, disappears after the assassination of the archbishop. Luz looks for Bernabe, who has joined the guerillas, but finds him too late to save him from his brother. Violence, strong language, and descriptions of sex. Spanish language.

Title in English: IN SEARCH OF BERNABE.

HORSE UNDER WATER by Len Deighton (DBC 26769)

Skin diving, drug trafficking, and blackmail all figure into this novel, in which the dead hand of a long-defeated Hitler-Germany reaches out to Portugal, London, and Marrakesh, threatening to bring about a resurgence of horrors thought safely interred forever.

INDELIBLE ANN: THE LARGER-THAN-LIFE STORY OF GOVERNOR ANN RICHARDS by Meghan P. Browne (DBC 26819)

Folksy, larger-than-life picture book biography about Ann Richards, the late governor of Texas who has inspired countless women in politics today. Commercial audiobook. For grades 3-6. 2021.

INDIAN LIFE IN TEXAS by Charles Shaw (DBC 24992)

A series of dramatic fictional narratives recreate the history and culture of the first native Texans.

IPCRESS FILE by Len Deighton (DBC 26770)

An off-beat spy thriller which combines comedy and suspense. The author’s debut novel demonstrates his remarkable grasp of the details of international espionage.

LAST GREAT DAYS OF RADIO by Lynn Woolley (DBC 25001)

In this memoir, long-time radio personality Lynn Woolley describes Texas radio in its heyday. Combining humor and nostalgia, Woolley traces his career from the smallest station in a small market to the largest radio newsroom in Texas and offers inside information about the radio business.

MANY A GREEN ISLE by Agnes Sligh Turnbull (DBC 26764)

The story of a professor of English and his family in a small college town. A man of integrity, he finds his honor, both academic and personal, suddenly threatened.

NOTES FROM THE COUNTRY CLUB by Kim Wozencraft (DBC 24979)

Cynthia Mitchell, once a chic New York public relations executive, is to stand trial for murdering her abusive husband. Imprisoned in the psychiatric ward of the Fort Worth Federal Corrections Institute, known also as the “Country Club,” Cynthia endures the humiliations of prison life and reveals through flashbacks the escalating brutality in her marriage.

PANCHO AND BLACK JACK by Frederic Bean (DBC 24981)

On March 9, 1916, the tiny town of Columbus, New Mexico was attacked and burned by Mexican revolutionary soldiers said to be followers of the infamous Pancho Villa. If Villa was responsible, what were his motives? Could such a provocative act been an effort by German agents in Mexico to inflame the border area and distract America from aiding the British and French in the European war they were losing? President Woodrow Wilson sent General John J. “Black Jack” Pershing to hunt Villa down and punish him. Explicit descriptions of sex, strong language and violence.

RINGER by Dell Shannon (DBC 26483)

As the usual march of crime descends on the homicide unit of the LAPD, Luis Mendoza finds out that one of his own—young detective Tom Landers—has been accused of heading a car-theft ring. 1971.

SECRETO MAS GRANDE DEL MUNDO by Og Mandino (DBC 26771)

he author presents the Ten Great Scrolls for success and tells how to apply their meanings to everyday life. Spanish language. Title in English: GREATEST SECRET IN THE WORLD.

SHERIFF DE PRESCOTT Y SU CODIGO by M.L. Estefania (DBC 26761)

In El sheriff de Prescott y su Codigo (THE SHERIFF OF PRESCOTT AND HIS CODE) a young man accepts the job of sheriff of the lawless Arizona town of Prescott against his family’s wishes. Spanish language.

WELLS BROTHERS: THE YOUNG CATTLE KINGS by Andy Admas (DBC 26765)

Andy Adams was a Texas trail driver during the 1880s—the peak of the great cattle drive. Thirty years later he authored a series of novels which are considered to be unusually authentic depictions of the trail driver, the cowboy’s lives and the cattle business. They have been mistaken for non-fiction.

WOMAN CALLED FANCY by Frank Yerby (DBC 26768)

This rags to riches story tells of the daughter of a poor farmer and his wife, who also worked in the fields, and how she marries a man of wealth and raises her daughter differently.

WORD ON THE BRAZOS: NEGRO PREACHER TALES FROM THE BRAZOS BOTTOMS OF TEXAS by John Mason Brewer (DBC 26757)

This is a delightful collection of “preacher tales” from the Brazos River bottoms of Texas, collected and related by one of the nation’s leading black folklorists. The author worked side by side with field hands in the Brazos bottoms; he lived in their homes and worshipped in their churches. He sought out elderly ministers and other tradition-bearers and recreated them in the distinctive dialect of the region.

27 New Texas Titles Now on BARD

Posted on September 8, 2022 by John Berkeland

Rodeos, ghost stories, and LBJ highlight these newly available Texas titles on BARD. There are now more than 1,730 locally produced Texas titles on BARD!

Lone Star favorite John R. Erickson and THE classic guide to Texas state parks and historical sites add a distinct Texas flavor to these offerings.

From flying sauces and the Big Bend to Mr. Moto and Max Brand, these titles are a reminder that It’s a Great World! Explore it by reading!

AMERICAN RODEO, FROM BUFFALO BILL TO BIG BUSINESS by Kristine Fredriksson (DBC 24997)

Tracing rodeo from its roots in the range-cattle industry to its present form, the author analyzes the forces within and without that have allowed the sport to develop into the multimillion-dollar industry it is today. She explores the influence of the humane movement on rodeo, the effects of commercial sponsorship on its growth, and the tendency of the media to make the cowboy an exotic, romantic figure.

AT LOVE’S COMMAND by Karen Witemeyer (DBC 26466)

“Ex-cavalry officer Matthew Hanger leads a band of mercenaries who defend the innocent, but when one of them nearly dies, they seek out help from Dr. Josephine Burkett. When Josephine’s brother is abducted and she is caught in the crossfire, Matthew may have to sacrifice everything to save her.” Commercial audiobook. Violence. 2020.

CAVALIER OF RABBIT BUTTE by Robert J. Horton (DBC 26349)

James Lynch, Rangeview’s banker, has been losing cattle to rustlers. He offers a big reward for outlaw Long Pete, who has never been seen. Steve Brent needs the money but when he rides toward Rangeview, an eager County Deputy suspects him of being Long Pete.

CHRONICLES OF THE BIG BEND by W.D. Smithers (DBC 26750)

This is the story of the frontier era of the Big Bend area of Texas before it became a national park in 1944. It tells of outlaws, smugglers, Prohibition, and the many wonderful native residents of the area.

ELUSIVE LOVERS by Elizabeth Chadwick (DBC 24972)

After an innocent kiss left her good name in shreds, Kristin Traube sets off for the life of a Bohemian painter. Dishonored and disowned, she knew that her reputation would scare off any decent man—any man except Jack Cameron, who was determined to bring her home. Descriptions of sex.

FALL OF EAGLES by C.L. Sulzberger (DBC 25000)

A history of Europe from 1848 to 1918 and the roles played by the Houses of Habsburg, Hohenzollern, and Romanov.

FINAL COUNTDOWN: A NOVEL by Martin Caidin (DBC 26772)

On December 7th, 1980, the USS Nimitz, a fine warship designed to weather any battle, disappears into a nightmare journey—to a battle no man can win–Pearl Harbor, December 7th, 1941.

GHOST STORIES OF TEXAS by William Edward Syers (DBC 26753)

A collection of fifty of the most intriguing tales about Texas ghosts, ranging from centuries-old legends to the baffling here-and-now.

GUNS OF DORKING HOLLOW by Max Brand (DBC 24998)

This story of violence and gunplay set in a roaring mining town tells of a feud between an invincible giant and a man who had to win a battle with death to protect his kingdom.

HAMPTON HERITAGE by Julie Ellis (DBC 26767)

This romantic saga tells the story of one of the first families of Atlanta, the glittering hub of the late-nineteenth-century South.

HARD LUCK by Frederic Bean (DBC 24990)

Dan Willis is heading toward the promise of high-paying work in the New Mexico territory. But by the time he crosses Texas, he is broke, starving, and willing to take any job he can find. When Dan takes a job digging holes on Jake Logan’s ranch, he soon notices that something strange–and possibly illegal—is going on. Not wanting to get involved, Dan is tempted to ride out before payday, but he feels obliged to help Jake Logan’s wife Jane, who has confided in him. Violence. 1992.

HOLLOW EARTH: THE GREATEST GEOGRAPHICAL DISCOVERY IN HISTORY MADE BY ADMIRAL RICHARD E. BYRD IN THE MYSTERIOUS LAND BEYOND THE POLES, THE TRUE ORIGIN OF THE FLYING SAUCERS by Dr. R.W. Bernard (DBC 24995)

The Hollow Earth is a soaring adventure in scientific imagination and speculation—more fascinating than science fiction—more exciting than a moon probe. 1969.

HUNTER by John R. Erickson (DBC 26751)

Before settling down to a quiet life, young Gil Moreland joins an old trapper, Ben Woolsey, in a trapping expedition in the Texas Panhandle in search of adventure. The legend of a dangerous “wild man” spurs Gil to hunt and capture him. When he does, the adventures truly begin.

IN DARKNESS by Roger Bourgeon, (DBC 26766)

Blinded in an accident at the age of nineteen, Arthur Picard slowly adjusts to his new world. He goes on to ski again, marry and become a father. This is the story of a man who refused to accept darkness and a celebration of faith in life.

IT’S A GREAT WORLD! by Emilie Baker Loring (DBC 26345)

Alone and penniless, lovely young Eve Travis leaped recklessly into marriage with Jeff Kilburn. Then she discovered that the woman who had broken his heart was suddenly free again to marry him. Determined not to stand in Jeff’s way, Eve stepped out of his life and threw herself into her work as secretary to her uncle, a famous senator. There, in Washington’s glittering world of politics and diplomacy, Eve uncovers an international conspiracy and finds herself plunged into excitement, suspense and unexpected romance.

JFK AND LBJ; THE INFLUENCE OF PERSONALITY UPON POLITICS by Tom Wicker (DBC 25002)

The author explores two tragic ironies of contemporary politics: why JFK, the popular President, could not reach his legislative goals, and why LBJ, the consummate politician, allowed his great consensus to disappear in the unpopular war in Vietnam.

LEON FELIZ EN AFRICA by Louise Fatio (DBC 24987)

A lion escapes from a zoo and stows away to Africa but he is unhappy and frightened in the jungle. A photographer who often photographed the lion in the zoo recognizes him and the lion returns to the zoo in triumph. Spanish language. For grades K-3. Title in English: Happy lion in Africa.

LOVE SONG by Sharon Gillenwater (DBC 24996)

Famous country singer Andrea Carson has returned to her hometown in Texas to recuperate from a life-threatening illness. Her old high school friend Wade Jamison helps her to realize that she needs inner healing as well. As her feelings for Wade grow, Andrea must convince him that their relationship will withstand the demands of her career.

MR. MOTO IS SO SORRY by John P. Marquand (DBC 26484)

A mystery-adventure story set in the far East during the thirties. Mr. Moto is a brilliant Japanese detective who finds himself involved with a code message inscribed on a cigarette case and both the Russian and Japanese armies during a train trip to Mongolia.

NADARIN by Leo Lionni (DBC 26432)

A little black fish swam through the sea until he found a group of fish he could join. They formed a school of fish in the shape of one big fish for protection. The little black fish became the eye. Spanish language. For grades K-3. Title in English: Swimmy.

NIGHTINGALE, A ROMANCE by Agnes Sligh Turnbull (DBC 26754)

Violet Carpenter is already considered a spinster at twenty-five in her turn-of-the-century Pennsylvania village. Financial pressure forces her to take in lodgers and passion compels her to write poetry. The small mechanical nightingale, a rare heirloom in the Carpenter family, is stolen and suspicion falls upon one villager after another. Its recovery reveals the healing properties of village mutuality.

OFFICIAL GUIDE TO TEXAS STATE PARKS & HISTORIC SITES by Laurence Parent (DBC 18815)

Since it was first published in 1997, Official Guide to Texas State Parks and Historic Sites has become Texans’ one-stop source for information on great places to camp, fish, hike, backpack, swim, ride horseback, go rock climbing, view scenic landscapes, tour historical sites, and enjoy almost any other outdoor recreation. Freshly redesigned, this revised edition includes eight new state parks and historic sites, completely updated information for every park. 2018.

RIDE DOWN THE WIND by Wayne Barton (DBC 18652)

Jess Faver is a white Army Scout and Nantahe is an Apache Army Scout. Once as close as brothers, the two men are now pitted against each other by the Army—which has decided to imprison its Indian Scouts on a reservation in Florida. Violence. Medicine Pipe Bearer Award (Best First Novel), 1981.

SIRENS: A NOVEL by Eric Lustbader (DBC 24988)

Daina is a beautiful young actress making a film about political hostages. As the filming proceeds, she begins to see that the terrorism in the film is mirrored in the events of her own life. Very explicit sex, profanity and violence.

TAMING TENSION by W. Phillip Keller (DBC 24999)

The author gives many practical suggestions for living a calm, healthful, and joyous life. He treats the whole person—the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual sides of life.

TEXAS RHYTHM, TEXAS RHYME: A HISTORY OF TEXAS MUSIC by Larry Willoughby (DBC 24994)

A history of Texas music from its origins in the culture of Mexico, from the country folk tradition. Scott Joplin, Bob Wills, Ornette Coleman, Flaco Jimenez and hundreds of Texas musicians, past and present, are recalled in this comprehensive study. 1984.

TEXAS THROUGH WOMEN’S EYES: THE TWENTIETH-CENTURY EXPERIENCE by Judith N. MacArthur (DBC 25488)

Combining scholarly research with vivid, first-person accounts, this lively history for the first time tells the story of women’s experiences in twentieth-century Texas, with an inclusive focus on rural women, working-class women, and women of color. Some violence and some strong language. 2010.

18 New Texas Titles Now on BARD!

Posted on August 23, 2022 by John Berkeland

Honky-tonks, fiddlers, and the Texas Rangers take center stage in this wide-ranging selection of titles now available on BARD.

Readers thirsty for variety can whet their whistles on this intoxicating blend of Texas History, Romantic Suspense, Science Fiction, and True Crime, with a Country Music chaser.

Walk the untamed streets of Fort Griffin, go undercover on the High Plains of northwest Texas, and try your hand at prospecting on the Moon.

Keep reading—the sky’s the limit!

CULT OF GLORY: THE BOLD AND BRUTAL HISTORY OF THE TEXAS RANGERS by Doug J. Swanson (DBC 26480)

A twenty-first century reckoning with the legendary Texas Rangers that does justice to their heroic moments while also documenting atrocities, brutality, and corruption. The Texas Rangers rode into existence in 1823, when Texas was still part of Mexico, and continue today as one of the most famous of all law enforcement agencies. In Cult of Glory, Doug J. Swanson offers a sweeping account of the Rangers that chronicles both their epic, daring escapades and how the white and propertied power structures of Texas have used them as enforcers and protectors. Commercial audiobook. Violence and strong language. 2020.

DARLING DAHLIAS AND THE VOODOO LILY by Susan Wittig Albert (DBC 26481)

Spring, 1935 finds the little Alabama town of Darling excited about their new local radio station, WDAR. But there are problems brewing at the newspaper, where a trio of new hires causes headaches for editor Charlie Dickens. That’s not the worst of it, though, as the Dahlias discover when the newest resident at Bessie Bloodworth’s Magnolia Manor is found dead. She had overindulged in a large and very rich chocolate cake—but was something else baked into that cake? If so, one of the Dahlias is likely to find herself at the top of Sheriff Buddy Norris’ suspect list. That would give Darling something to gossip about! And there is plenty more to keep the tongues wagging. Will the ladies at the new bakery ever learn to bake bread? What is happening in Liz Lacy’s love life? Will her new book be a success? And can Voodoo Lil’s special brand of magic keep Violet Sims from taking Cupcake off to Hollywood to become a Shirley Temple look-alike? But amid all these mysteries, one thing is for certain: The Darling Dahlias just keep growing. Commercial audiobook. Unrated. 2021.

DOWN RANGE: A NOVEL by Taylor Moore (DBC 26465)

As a decorated undercover DEA special agent, Garrett Kohl has traveled the world—and fought in most of it—but it is the High Plains of northwest Texas he calls home and dreams of returning to one day. When he is ordered back to Texas on a short mission expected to take a week at most, Kohl is unsettled to discover that the once-peaceful ranching community he loves is under attack. A band of criminals who have infiltrated law enforcement, corrupted local businesses, and is now terrorizing Kohl’s own family. Commercial audiobook. Violence and strong language. 2021.

FRONTIER WORLD OF FORT GRIFFIN: THE LIFE AND DEATH OF A WESTERN TOWN by Charles M. Robinson (DBC 24955)

Fort Griffin, Texas, was as tough as legendary Tombstone, Dodge City, and Deadwood. It grew from a military post rife with Indian trouble into a violent frontier town and burned out in a matter of decades. An archetype for the untamed frontier life, its story is one of lawlessness and only occasional justice.

GAY PLACE; BEING THREE RELATED NOVELS: THE FLEA CIRCUS, ROOM ENOUGH TO CAPER, COUNTRY PLEASURES by Billy Lee Brammer (DBC 24986)

Three related novels combine to form a classic American political novel inspired by Lyndon B. Johnson. Explicit descriptions of sex. Strong language. Houghton Mifflin Literary Fellowship.

HEART’S CHARGE by Karen Witemeyer (DBC 26467)

On a mission to deliver a baby to a nearby foundling home, Mark Wallace and Jonah Brooks encounter two women who capture their attention. And when a handful of urchin children from the area go missing, a pair of horsemen are exactly what the women need. As they work together to find the children, will these two couples find love as well? Commercial audiobook. Some violence. 2021.

HEMLOCK by Susan Wittig Albert (DBC 26482)

Herbalist China Bayles’ latest adventure takes her to the mountains of North Carolina, where her friend Dorothea Harper serves as the director and curator of the Hemlock House Library, a priceless collection of rare gardening books housed in a haunted mountainside mansion that once belonged to Sunny Carswell, a reclusive heiress. But the most valuable book—A Curious Herbal, created by Elizabeth Blackwell in the 1730s—is missing and Dorothea is under suspicion. China’s search for the thief takes on a new urgency when she discovers Miss Carswell’s bookseller, the victim of an attempted murder. Is his shooting connected with the theft? And there are other urgent questions: What is the Hemlock Guild? Who owns Socrates.com? Did Sunny Carswell really kill herself, or does her ghost have a different story to tell? And what is the real truth behind the many tantalizing mysteries of A Curious Herbal? Commercial audiobook. Unrated. 2021.

LEGENDARY WATERING HOLES: THE SALOONS THAT MADE TEXAS FAMOUS (DBC 18375)

Saloons, barrooms, honky-tonks, or watering holes—by whatever name, they are part of the mythology of the American West, and their stories are cocktails of legends and fact. Some strong language.

MAXIMILIAN & THE MYSTERY OF THE GUARDIAN ANGEL: A BILINGUAL LUCHA LIBRE THRILLER by Xavier Garza (DBC 25521)

Eleven-year-old Maximilian, a big fan of the form of wrestling known as lucha libre, begins to suspect that he has a close connection with his favorite luchador, El Angel de la Guardia, the Guardian Angel. For grades 4-7 and older readers. 2011. Bilingual: English and Spanish. ALA Notable Book, 2012.

MILAGROS by C.S. (Clive Staples) Lewis (DBC 26353)

El milagro principal del que hablan los cristianos es la Encarnación Ellos dicen que Dios se hizo Hombre. Cualquier otro milagro sucedió en preparación para esto, o es un resultado de esto. Este es el punto clave de Los Milagros, obra en la cual C.S. Lewis nos muestra que un cristiano debe no solo aceptar sino también regocijarse de los milagros como testimonios de la participación de Dios en la creación. Utilizando su característico calor, lucidez e ingenio, Lewis desafía a los racionalistas y a los cínicos por su falta de imaginación, y ofrece una poética y alegre afirmación que los milagros si ocurren en nuestras vidas cotidianas. En Español.

An effort to show that the miraculous, which the author defines as interference with nature by supernatural power, not only can exist, but has existed in human history. Lewis offers a rational justification both of theism and of doctrinal Christianity. Spanish language. Title in English: Miracles.

PECAN: A HISTORY OF AMERICA’S NATIVE NUT by James E. McWilliams (DBC 18862)

What would Thanksgiving be without pecan pie? New Orleans without pecan pralines? Southern cooks would have to hang up their aprons without America’s native nut, whose popularity has spread far beyond the tree’s natural home. But as familiar as the pecan is, most people don’t know the fascinating story of how native pecan trees fed Americans for thousands of years until the nut was “improved” a little more than a century ago—and why that rapid domestication actually threatens the pecan’s long-term future. In The Pecan, acclaimed writer and historian James McWilliams explores the history of America’s most important commercial nut. He describes how essential the pecan was for Native Americans—by some calculations, an average pecan harvest had the food value of nearly 150,000 bison. McWilliams explains that, because of its natural edibility, abundance, and ease of harvesting, the pecan was left in its natural state longer than any other commercial fruit or nut crop in America. Yet once the process of “improvement” began, it took less than a century for the pecan to be almost totally domesticated. Today, more than 300 million pounds of pecans are produced every year in the United State—and as much as half of that total might be exported to China, which has fallen in love with America’s native nut. McWilliams also warns that, as ubiquitous as the pecan has become, it is vulnerable to a “perfect storm” of economic threats and ecological disasters that could wipe it out within a generation. This lively history suggests why the pecan deserves to be recognized as a true American heirloom. 2013.

PRAIRIE NIGHTS TO NEON LIGHTS: THE STORY OF COUNTRY MUSIC IN WEST TEXAS by Joe Carr (DBC 24985)

Ever since the Amarillo fiddler Eck Robertson inaugurated country music’s commercial history with his first recordings in 1922, West Texas musicians have played major innovative roles in the shaping and popularization of the nation’s popular music forms. Their contributions are described and explained in this historical tribute.

RELENTLESS by Bobbi Smith (DBC 18407)

On the trail of a ruthless gang of outlaws, a Texas Ranger and a female bounty hunter clash as each tries to best the other and deny the attraction drawing them inexorably closer. Some descriptions of sex.

THIS IS HOW WE FLY by Anna Meriano (DBC 26448)

Grounded for the summer by her sometimes-evil stepmother, seventeen-year-old vegan feminist Ellen Lopez-Rourke gets permission to join a Quidditch team, where she makes new, if nerdy, friends. Commercial audiobook. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. For senior high readers. 2020.

TO HATRED TURNED: A TRUE STORY OF LOVE AND DEATH IN TEXAS by Ken Englade (DBC 18684)

Reporter Ken Englade covers one of the most publicized murder investigations in Texas history that resulted in the arrest of Joy Aylor, estranged wife of wealthy Dallas contractor Larry Aylor, whose mistress had been found murdered. Strong language and some violence.

TROUBLE WITH HATING YOU by Sajni Patel (DBC 26468)

Liya Thakkar is a successful biochemical engineer, takeout enthusiast, and happily single woman. The moment she realizes her parents’ latest dinner party is a setup with the man they want her to marry, she is out the back door in a flash. Imagine her surprise when the same guy shows up at her office a week later—the new lawyer hired to rescue her struggling company. What is not surprising: he’s not too thrilled to see her either after that humiliating fiasco. Jay Shah looks good on paper…and off. Especially if you like that whole gorgeous, charming lawyer-in-a-good-suit thing. He is also infuriating. As their witty office banter turns into late night chats, Liya starts to think he might be the one man who truly accepts her. But falling for each other means exposing their painful pasts. Will Liya keep running, or will she finally give love a real chance?. Commercial audiobook. Some strong language and some descriptions of sex. 2020.

TROUBLE WITH TYCHO by Clifford D. Simak (DBC 18640)

Prospecting on the Moon was grim, dangerous, and usually unrewarding. Only most of the green-horns who came to try did not find out until after they got there. Chris Jackson was no exception. He put everything he owned and could borrow into this, and he’d be ruined if he failed. His only chance meant going into Tycho—where three expeditions had already disappeared. He could try but would he come out again?

WITH BANNERS by Emilie Baker Loring (DBC 18404)

For bewitching, copper-haired Brooke Reyburn, it all seemed like a delicious dream. An elderly woman she had barely known had left her a beautiful mansion, and then she had met her new neighbor, the handsome, impetuous Mark Trent. She was young, lovely, and in love—but why did Mark seem so cold? All too soon she found out. The mansion she thought was hers he claimed as his own. The will that had given it to her he called a fraud—and her a scheming thief. How could she prove him wrong when he was so sure he was right? How could she melt the hatred in his eyes when he saw the piece of paper that seemed to prove her guilty even beyond the shadow of a lover’s doubt?

August 27: Lyndon Baines Johnson Day

Posted on August 22, 2022 by Laura Jean

On August 27, 1908, Lyndon Baines Johnson (LBJ) was born in a small stone farmhouse in Stonewall, Texas. He went on to become a Texas State Senator and then later, President of the United States. After his death in 1973, August 27 was designated as a Texas state holiday in his honor.

This year, August 27 falls on a Saturday, so you can spend the entire day celebrating LBJ’s life and accomplishments. The LBJ Presidential Library in Austin offers free admission on the day. But even if you do not live nearby, you can still celebrate by reading one of the books about Lyndon Johnson in our Talking Book Program collection.

For More information

Books about LBJ in our collection:

For the most in-depth look at LBJ’s life, try the four- book series YEARS OF LYNDON JOHNSON, written by Robert Caro:

PATH TO POWER: THE YEARS OF LYNDON JOHNSON VOLUME 1 DB 18676,
MEANS OF ASCENT: THE YEARS OF LYNDON JOHNSON, VOLUME 2 DB 30837
MASTER OF THE SENATE: THE YEARS OF LYNDON DB 54174
PASSAGE OF POWER: THE YEARS OF LYNDON JOHNSON DB 74635

If you are looking for a slightly less detailed biography you might like to read the two-volume series by Robert Dallek:

LONE STAR RISING: LYNDON JOHNSON AND HIS TIMES, 1908-1960 DB 34378
FLAWED GIANT: LYNDON JOHNSON AND HIS TIMES, 1961-1973 DB 47275

Perhaps you would like to read a memoir written by someone who knew LBJ personally. Doris Kearns Goodwin was a White House Fellow in 1967, and her book is based on interviews conducted during the last five years of President Johnson’s life.

LYNDON JOHNSON AND THE AMERICAN DREAM
DB 09793

Or you could look at his time in the White House through the eyes of his wife, Lady Bird Johnson.

WHITE HOUSE DIARY
DBC 18116

Or if you are looking for a way for younger readers to learn about LBJ, here’s one you could try:

LYNDON B. JOHNSON: THIRTY-SIXTH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
Grades 5-8
DB 30136, BR 08027

13 New Texas Titles Now on BARD!

Posted on August 1, 2022 by John Berkeland

Rip-roaring historical fiction and marauding gangs of outlaws enliven these 13 locally produced titles now available on BARD.

Explore the King Ranch and its fabled “sea of grass,” shadow the Mongol army as it invades Russia, and help Fort Worth detective Deb Ralston unravel murderous deeds.

Exciting reading adventures await at every turn!

BIRD IN A CAGE: A DEB RALSTON MYSTERY by Lee Martin (DBC 24969)

Fort Worth detective Deb Ralston and her husband are celebrating their anniversary at a fancy restaurant which entertains its customers with trapeze show while they dine. When the young woman on the flying trapeze plummets to her death, Deb once again puts her personal life on hold to solve the murder. Strong language.

BLACK, RED, AND DEADLY: BLACK AND INDIAN GUNFIGHTERS OF THE INDIAN TERRITORY, 1870-1907 by Arthur T. Burton (DBC 24952)

No part of the West was more of a legal nightmare or criminals’ paradise than Indian Territory. The Jesse James Gang vacationed there between holdups, and the Dalton, Doolin, and Cook gangs roamed there, robbing, and killing at will. By the early 1870s there were enough settlers in the region to demand justice; this is the story of the Black and Indian lawmen and outlaws who fought for control.

BOB KLEBERG AND THE KING RANCH: A WORLDWIDE SEA OF GRASS by John Cypher (DBC 24956)

A biography of quintessential Texas rancher Bob Kleberg and the story of the “sea of grass” that was the fabled King Ranch. Written by a longtime assistant of Kleberg’s, this biography tells the story of Kleberg’s colorful lifestyle and international travels and offers an insider’s view of life on the ranch. For adult readers.

CHICKEN RANCH: THE TRUE STORY OF THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS by Jan Huston (DBC 26752)

The author provides the witty, colorful, and often bawdy account of the history of the Chicken Ranch—probably the oldest continually operating bordello in America, founded in 1844 and closed in 1974. This is the story of the women who ran it and the major media battle involving the sheriff and a television reporter that finally closed it down. Some explicit descriptions of sex.

DAY THAT DUSTY DIED by Lee Martin (DBC 26317)

For no apparent reason, pretty teenager Dusty Miller hurls herself from a 14th floor balcony. The unsolved case is just one of the nettlesome problems facing Fort Worth police detective Deb Ralston. (Her sister and husband are two others.) While solving Dusty’s “suicide,” author Martin comments with biting humor on life’s frustrations. Violence, strong language, and explicit descriptions of sex.

INHERITED MURDER by Lee Martin (DBC 24970)

Fort Worth detective Deb Ralston is on a much-needed three-week vacation with her family in Salt Lake City. But on the second day, while sightseeing, the Ralston’s find a dead body and Deb is involved in a murder case once again. Strong language.

LASTING ATTACHMENTS by Annette Sanford (DBC 24984)

Spare and evocative short stories set in rural Texas. Sanford illuminates the “small” world of domestic affairs, of everyday lives surprised by joy and sorrow. It is a world in which an aging brother and sister’s comfortable routine is changed utterly by the arrival of a bachelor salesman; a grieving country widower finds himself in a compromising position with a woman he never thought to love; and a contended spinster whose garden is her pride must come to terms with the intrusive chatter of a new TV set.

MARY DONOHO: NEW FIRST LADY OF THE SANTA FE TRAIL by Marian Meyer (DBC 24983)

In 1832, Mary Donoho became the first woman to travel the Santa Fe Trail. She lived in Santa Fe for several years and then moved with her husband to Clarksville, Texas, where she ran the Donoho Hotel and raised her six children. This is an account of this early pioneer woman’s life. Violence.

PEA RIDGE: CIVIL WAR CAMPAIGN IN THE WEST by William L. Shea (DBC 26319)

The definitive study of a strange, complex battle which saw Southern troops attack from the north against English and German-speaking soldiers. As a result of this battle, often called the “Gettysburg of the West,” Missouri remained securely in Union hands, and most of the Union and Confederate troops moved east of the Mississippi to fight in other campaigns. Violence.

SINS OF THE SON by Carlton Stowers (DBC 24967)

The Dallas award-winning writer of true crime shares his own heart-wrenching true-crime nightmare. His eldest son was arrested for the murder of his twenty-five-year-old wife. Stowers reveals how he grappled with the pain, anger, and guilt that comes with a child going bad. Violence and strong language.

SWEET REFRAIN by Margie Walker (DBC 24977)

Successful music teacher Jenine Jones is no longer the naive girl who once hungered for a man who left Texas and their dream of a future together. Fifteen years before, jazz musician Nathaniel Padell had walked out on Jenine and their small-town Texas life to seek fame and fortune in New York City. But now the handsome widower has come back home–with a precious baby girl in tow. Still irresistibly attracted to Nat and enchanted by his adorable daughter, Jenine feels all her defenses crumbling. Yet even as desire is rekindled, an unexpected danger threatens Nat’s child. Some sex, profanity, and violence.

TWO FOR TEXAS: A NOVEL by James Lee Burke (DBC 24968)

A rip-roaring historical novel about the Texas revolution of 1835-1836. Two prison escapees from Louisiana cross into Texas territory where they meet with more adventure than they could have imagined possible. Violence.

UNTIL THE SUN FALLS by Cecelia Holland (DBC 26375)

The Mongol army stood ready to invade Russia and Europe in 1237. This is the story of that invasion and the men who led it.

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