1. Freedom Colonies: Independent Black Texans in the Time of Jim Crow By Thad Sitton and James H. Conrad
Chronicles the development of the African American communities, known as freedom colonies, created by ex-slaves after the Civil War in rural Texas. Provides insight into the lives of these freedmen land owners - their accomplishments and struggles to create an independent way of life away from an exploitive sharecropping system and despite the lingering effects of the "Black Codes" enacted by the Texas Legislature. Discusses the forces that eventually led to the decline of the freedom colonies and highlights the few communities that have managed to endure into the 21st century.
University of Texas Press, 2005. 248.
333.335 SI88F 2005


 

2. Texas Through Women's Eyes: The Twentieth-Century Experience By Judith N. McArthur and Harold L. Smith
Presents a historical overview of women's achievements in Texas through four eras of the twentieth century with an inclusive focus on rural, working-class, and minority women. Highlights women's leadership roles in working for social reform, the right to vote, better opportunities in education and the workforce, civil rights, feminist issues, and political reform. Provides a selection of primary documents including letters, memoirs, and oral histories, which are meant to allow the reader to experience up close, the efforts and struggles of women in shaping the state of Texas.
University of Texas Press, 2010. 295.
305.4209764 M127T 2010
 

 

3. The Captured: A True Story of Abduction by Indians on the Texas Frontier By Scott Zesch
Documents the stories of several Texas children who were abducted by Native American tribes during the 1860's and 1870's. Examines how the children frequently became attached to the Native American families they lived with, and illustrates their struggles to reintegrate with their families after being recovered. Highlights the life of Adolph Korn, an ancestor of the author, who was abducted in 1870 and spent three years training as a warrior with the Comanche's tribe before being returned to his family, where he never fully reintegrated into white society.
St. Martin's Press, 2004. 362.
976.4404 Z56C 2004


 

 

4. The Red River Bridge War: A Texas-Oklahoma Border Battle By Rusty Williams
Examines the two-week conflict between Texas and Oklahoma during the summer of 1931, at the start of the Great Depression, over a private toll bridge that connected the two states over the Red River. Chronicles the tense day-to-day stand off and clashes between these two sovereign states. Provides a historical context to today's current popularity of toll roads and privatized highways.
Texas A&M University Press, 2016. 275.
976.4062 W675R 2016
 

 

5. The Road Taken: The History and Future of America's Infrastructure By Henry Petroski
Highlights the previous decisions (good and bad) that have led to the development of our roads, bridges, and traffic habits. Emphasizes how important infrastructure is to our economic health and suggests tight economic times, partisan politics, and public skepticism make it difficult to find the resources to fix current problems. Discusses funding and financing of projects, including public-private partnerships.
Bloomsbury, 2016. 322.
388.10973 P448R 2016

 

6. The Rise and Fall of the Voting Rights Act By Charles S. Bullock III, Ronald Keith Gaddie, and Justin J. Wert
Analyzes changing legislation and the future of voting rights in the United States, tracing the Voting Rights Act from its inception in 1965 through the Supreme Court's 2013 decision in Shelby County v. Holder. Discusses redistricting, preclearance review, voter identification laws, and voter participation and registration in Texas. Explores potential next steps after the Shelby County ruling, including proposals to restore the preclearance process.
University of Oklahoma Press, 2016. 240.
342.73072 B876R 2016

1. Governors Who Have Been, and Other Public Men of Texas By Norman G. Kittrell, Sr.
Provides a record of incidents and events relating to the lives of several remarkable Texans including governors, state legislators and other public figures drawn from the memories of Norman G. Kittrell, Sr., a former state legislator from Houston. Provides a look into the Texas political and judicial arenas during 1846-1921.
Texas, Dealy-Adey-Elgin Company, 1921. 301 pages.
923 K658G 1921


 

 

2. Broken But Unbowed: The Fight to Fix a Broken America By Greg Abbott
Presents the life story of Governor Greg Abbott, along with his blueprint for limiting the role of the federal government and restoring power to the states. Draws from his role as Texas attorney general and his challenging recovery from a paralyzing accident to chart a path to mend what he considers is a broken U.S. Constitution and to revive America's greatness.
Threshold Editions, 2016. 275 pages.
976.4 AB26B 2016

 

 

3. A Month of Sundays: Kent Biffle's Texana By Kent Biffle
Provides a sample of Dallas Morning News columnist Kent Biffle's Sunday columns - A Month of Sundays - outtakes from travel adventures and misadventures across the state in search of the "color and drama" of Texas' past. Organizes entries into three parts: Texas History, Texas Outlaws, and Texas Folk and Folklore. Includes an index to quickly pinpoint historical figures and events of interest to the reader.
University of North Texas Press, 1993. 261 pages.
976.4 B479M 1993


 

4. Heads Above Water: The Inside Story of the Edwards Aquifer Recovery Implementation Program By Robert L. Gulley
Chronicles the competing water and landowner interests in the Edwards Aquifer region since the 1950's. Documents the cast of characters, attempts to resolve differences, shifting alliances, litigation relating to the Endangered Species Act, and ultimately the creation of the Edwards Aquifer Authority (EAA) and the Edwards Aquifer Recovery Implementation Program (EARIP).
Texas A&M University Press, 2015. 234 pages.
333.91 G951H 2015

 

 

5. Unruly Waters: A Social and Environmental History of the Brazos River By Kenna Lang Archer
Explores the cultural, political, and geological history of the Brazos River. Documents the broad range of projects undertaken to understand and tame the river, from Civil War era mapping and early settlement, through a series of planned improvement projects left incomplete due to a lack of funding and harsh realities of the landscape. Profiles the persistence of those who live along the Brazos, working through the river's drought/flood cycles and continually striving to develop the Brazos Basin.
University of New Mexico Press, 2015. 260 pages.
976.4 AR23U 2016


 

6. Rough Road to Justice: The Journey of Women Lawyers in Texas By Betty Trapp Chapman
Examines how the legal profession has been the hardest of all professions for women to break into, due to sexual discrimination that was historically rooted in the legal system. Describes the challenges and limitations women endured in 1902, the year the first woman was allowed to practice law in Texas. Highlights the courage all of these women exhibited facing men who were unwelcoming even into the 21st century. Profiles a number of pioneering women who were also among the first women to be elected into the Texas Legislature, among them Barbara Jordan, Irma Rangel, Sissy Farenthold and Kay Bailey Hutchison. Points out that despite the obstacles, women lawyers today comprise more than 31 percent of the State Bar of Texas and 48 percent of law students in the state.
State Bar of Texas, 2008. 267 pages.
340.092 C366R 2008

1. Lost Causes: Blended Sentencing, Second Chances, and the Texas Youth Commission By Chad R. Trulson, et al.
Presents an in-depth study of determinate (blended) sentencing outcomes in Texas. Delves into the social and delinquent histories, Texas Youth Commission incarceration experiences, and release and recidivism outcomes of close to 3,500 juvenile offenders who received blended sentences between 1987 and 2011. Seeks to understand the impact of this unique sentencing structure, which blends parts of the juvenile and adult justice systems, and gives some of the most violent youthful offenders a second chance to remain in the juvenile justice system instead of transferring to the Texas Prison system.
University of Texas Press, 2016. 204 pages.
364.3609764 T769L 2016
 

 

2. LBJ and Grassroots Federalism: Congressman Bob Poage, Race, and Change in Texas By Robert Harold Duke
Explores the expansion of collaboration between local communities in Texas and the federal government through the careers of President Lyndon B. Johnson and Texas Congressman William R. Poage, of Waco. Examines projects ranging from the New Deal era through the 1960's, including the Waco Dam project, and how the growth of political engagement in minority communities impacted the implementation of federal programs.
Texas A&M University Press, 2014. 248 pages.
320.6 D885L 2014
 

 

 

3. America Ascendant: A Revolutionary Nation's Path to Addressing its Deepest Problems and Leading the 21st Century By Stanley B. Greenberg
Provides a unique and very hopeful look into how America is poised to address all the problems the 21st century has brought – widening inequality, poverty, racism and general dark side of progress. Articulates a vision of how America will come through these crises, as it did at the turn of the 20th century with radical and progressive reforms. Argues that today’s growing anger will reach a tipping point that compels the nation’s leaders to work to address America’s deepest problems.
Thomas Dunne Books, 2015. 406 pages.
320.973 G829A 2015


 

 

4. The Selfie Vote: Where Millennials are Leading America (and How Republicans Can Keep Up) By Kristen Soltis Anderson
Examines how cultural factors are changing the way a new generation of voters considers issues. Analyzes demographic shifts, lifestyle, and consumer choices through the use of data mining and social media to emphasize what is important to youth, women and minorities. Offers insights and advice from a leading Republican pollster about how to best appeal to these voters.
Broadside Books, an imprint of Harper Collins Publishers, 2015. 262 pages.
324.973 AN23S 2015

 

 

5. Thirst for Power: Energy, Water and Human Survival By Michael E. Webber
Examines the interrelation between water and energy and their importance to people. Details the critical role that water plays in energy production, highlighting its use in the operation of hydro-electric plants, nuclear reactors, and bio-fuels. Suggests ways energy can alleviate water shortages by fueling desalination plants, long-haul transfers, and drilling deeper wells. Points out the human race's growing need for both precious resources and possible solutions to long-term needs, both in technical and non-technical approaches.
Yale University Press, 2016. 235.
333.7915 W387T 2016
 

 

 

6. Texas Women: Their Histories, Their Lives By Elizabeth Hayes Turner, Stephanie Cole, and Rebecca Sharpless, editors
Presents a collection of biographies and essays of Texas women showing the racial, class, and religious diversity of the Lone Star State, beginning with the Spanish colonial era. Includes fascinating stories of Spanish law and women in colonial Texas, women in slavery, women's higher education in antebellum Texas, women's fight for equal rights, African American and Hispanic women, and ranch women and rodeo performers in post-World War II West Texas. Profiles Oveta Culp Hobby and Barbara Jordan - two prominent women in the history of the Texas Legislature.
The University of Georgia Press, 2015. 526 pages.
305.409764 T852T 2015
 

1. Cops in Lab Coats: Curbing Wrongful Convictions Through Independent Forensic Laboratories By Sandra Guerra Thompson
Argues the importance for independence between police departments and forensic labs. Highlights several cases in which factors such as backlogs, cheating on police proficiency exams, law enforcement department budget cuts, and bias, resulted in wrongful convictions. Suggests the separation of the forensic lab from guidance of a law enforcement organization would help eliminate conflicts of interest and pressure to skew the science in favor of the prosecution, rather than in the name of justice.
Carolina Academic Press, 2015. 293 pages.
363.2560973 T377C 2015


 

2. Race, Class, and Affirmative Action By Sigal Alon
Evaluates affirmative action policies in the U.S. and Israel, noting there is a commonality between the two countries because higher education is highly regarded by both, but their approaches to achieving diversity is very different. Contrasts the U.S. approach of basing affirmative action mainly on race with the Israeli approach of basing it on class and socioeconomic standing. Addresses the fact that race-based affirmative action has been in place for years and the subject of several challenges in the U.S. Supreme Court, including the case involving the University of Texas. Highlights the complex nature of defining affirmative action, and offers an analysis of new approaches to equalizing education opportunity, including the potential of affirmative action hybrid models.
Russell Sage Foundation, 2015. 325 pages.
306.430973 AL72R 2015


 

3. From South Texas to the Nation: the Exploitation of Mexican Labor in the Twentieth Century By John Weber
Challenges the traditional historical depiction of migrant farmworkers by revealing the inner workings of the agricultural business model and the exploitive agricultural labor system that was conceived in South Texas in the early 1900's and eventually "trafficked" to rest of the United States. Illuminates the evolution of this migration-dependent labor system that encouraged mass migration from Mexico, selective enforcement of immigration laws, low wages, and abuse of workers. Argues elements of this South Texas labor model continue to be used today, including in other industries in the form of independent contract workers.
University of North Carolina Press, 2015. 320 pages.
331.5 W388F 2015
 

 

4. The Governor's Hounds: the Texas State Police, 1870-1873 By Barry A. Crouch and Donaly E. Brice
Presents a comprehensive history of the Texas State Police, created under the administration of Reconstruction-era governor Edmund J. Davis as a statewide directed mobile law enforcement unit authorized to legally enter any jurisdiction to suppress criminal activity when necessary. Attempts to balance the negative reputation attributed to the State Police force by pointing out the agency’s positive contributions in combatting the violence of the Reconstruction period.
University of Texas Press, 2011. 312 pages.
363.209764 C884G 2011

 

 

5. Turning Texas Blue : What it Will Take to Break the GOP Grip On America's Reddest State By Mary Beth Rogers
Examines the history and growth of the Republican party in Texas. Considers how the utilization of methods employed by the Republican party in the mid-to-late 20th century, along with lessons from recent statewide Democratic losses and demographic shifts in Texas, could lead to the election of Democratic candidates to statewide office.
St. Martin's Press, 2016. 246 pages.
324.276406 R632T 2016
 

 

 

6. People and Places in the Texas Past By June Rayfield Welch
Presents vignettes of the interesting stories that may have fallen through the cracks of Texas history. Explores chronologically beginning with the Indian pictographs of Concho County to the long service of Speaker of the U.S. House, Sam Rayburn. Includes tales from scalping (Josiah Wilbarger) to sculpting (Elizabet Ney) to the interesting life of freedman, William Goyens, who settled in Nacogdoches in 1820.
G.L.A. Press, 1974. 233 pages.
917.6403 W444P 1974

1. The Tejano community, 1836-1900. By Arnoldo De Leon
Examines the daily lives of Mexican Americans from 1836-1900. Paints a picture of a vibrant group of people: enterprising, success –oriented, and interested and active in politics. Includes chapters on religion, folklore, education, and entertainment revealing a complex community of people in the process of social change. Defines the life that the Tejanos made for themselves at a time when they were an exploited minority.
The University of New Mexico Press, 1982. 277 pages.
976.4 D34T 1982


 

2. Riding fence. By June Rayfield Welch
Explores the periphery of the state, the outlying communities and people whose stories have often fallen through the cracks of Texas history. Presents a treasure trove of Texana, giving special attention to border counties and towns that have acted as filters for adjoining cultures. Highlights specific geographic areas such as the Louisiana Line, Roy Bean Country, and the Staked Plains to show how specific people and events have created the Texas story.
GLA Press, 1983. 209 pages.
976.4 W444R 1983


 

3. Texas: the dark corner of the confederacy. By Edited by B.P. Galloway
Presents a history of Texas during the Civil War years through firsthand descriptions, dating from the eve of the Civil War to the collapse of the Confederacy, by civilians and soldiers from all over the state. Includes excerpts from diaries, journals, almanacs, official documents, speeches, reminiscences, and memoirs, as well as maps of the counties of Civil War Texas and counties voting for and against secession.
University of Nebraska Press, 1994. 286 pages.
973.7464 G135T 1994


 

 

4. Muleshoe & more: the remarkable stories behind the naming of Texas towns. By Bill Bradfield and Clare Bradfield
Lists over 700 Texas towns, alphabetically from Abilene to Zephyr, and how they received their monikers. Offers a variety of interesting backstories and little known facts for Texas towns from the Rio Grande to the Pan Handle. Illustrates the eclectic cities that help define Texas' uniqueness.
Gulf Publishing Company, 1999. 218 pages.
917.64003 B727M 1999


 

 

5. Dining at the Governor's Mansion. By Carl. R. McQueary
Presents the culinary and social history of the Texas Governor’s Mansion from the mid-nineteenth century forward. Focuses on food, food preparation, and entertainment at the mansion and their place in the lives of the first ladies and their families. Includes brief biographical sketches of the first ladies, highlighting the imprint each woman left on the Governor’s Mansion and on the history of Texas. Contains over 200 historic recipes.
Texas A&M University Press, 2003. 317 pages.
641.59764 M879D 2003
 

 

6. The Texas League, 1888-1987: a century of baseball. By Bill O'Neal
Examines the then-100 year history of The Texas League, which was officially formed in 1888, and recognized as a minor-league within the National Association system in 1901. Details all aspects of the league, from its pre-1888 history as an amateur/semi-pro league, through the ebb-and-flow of baseball's popularity throughout the 20th century, and to its centennial season in 1987. Includes information on the cities of the league, their ballparks, and both team and player statistics.
Eakin Press, 1987. 389 pages.
796.357 ON2T 1987
 

 

1. Black Silent Majority: The Rockefeller Drug Laws and the Politics of Punishment By Michael Javen Fortner
Examines the social and political support provided by the African-American "silent majority" of New York City during the buildup to the Rockefeller Drug laws of 1973, which were among the first to establish lengthy mandatory minimum sentencing for narcotics offenses. Details the motivations of the working and middle class residents, activists, and civic leaders who helped to push "tough on crime" policies following the perceived failure of treatment-based anti-narcotics strategy of the 1960's. Concludes by considering the effects of the 1970's drug laws, and in particular how they impacted the African-American community through high incarceration rates and associated societal impacts
Harvard University Press, 2015. 350 pages.
364.1 F778B 2015


 

2. Fifty State Systems of Community Colleges: Mission, Governance, Funding, and Accountability By Janice Nahra Friedel, et al.
Details the unique and varied models of community colleges systems in the U.S. where no common model is available. Highlights the system of each state in terms of its history, purpose, governance, structure, funding, accountability, and challenges & opportunities. Allows for the comparison of key factors driving community colleges today including the political and financial aspects of the various administrative systems and how each system answers to taxpayers and policymakers.
Overmountain Press, 2014. 384 pages.
378.1543 F912F 2014


 

3. Fracking the Neighborhood: Reluctant Activists and Natural Gas Drilling By Jessica Smartt Gullion
Examines what happens when natural gas extraction by means of hydraulic fracturing or “fracking,” takes place, not on open rural land, but in densely populated areas. Offers an analysis of the environmental health activism, often by people who have never been activists, that has sprung up in otherwise politically conservative Texas urban communities. Chronicles the intrusive effects of fracking on these communities and highlights the frustration of residents who feel they are not provided with enough advance warning or information about the process. Describes the health effects from the environmental pollution that is created where fracking is taking place.
MIT Press, 2015. 191 pages.
622.3381 G946F 2015


 

4. Mexicans in the Making of America By Neil Foley
Analyzes the impact that Mexicans have had and are having on the evolving American landscape. Reviews many of the racially motivated legal and legislative hurdles aimed at Mexicans and Mexican-Americans. Chronicles both the struggles and milestones for Latinos from the Mexican-American War in 1848 through the present-day immigration debates. Suggests that the fast evolving demographics of the United States will not only help to shape the cultural diversity of this country but also its politics, and its economics.
Belknap Press of Harvard University, 2014. 344 pages.
973.046872 F699M 2014


 

5. Pulled Over: How Police Stops Define Race and Citizenship By Charles R. Epp, Steven Maynard-Moody, and Donald Haider-Markel
Traces the development of "investigatory stops" in police practice. Presents results of an extensive survey and statistical modeling of traffic stops in the Kansas City metropolitan area, including the factors in a police officer's decision to make a stop and the experiences of drivers. Addresses racial disparities in investigative stops, particularly for African Americans. Recommends changes to law enforcement policy and practice to move toward racial justice in police stops.
University of Chicago Press, 2014. 253 pages.
363.2 EP61P 2014
 

 

6. Federalism on Trial: State Attorneys General and National Policymaking in Contemporary America By Paul Neolette
Focuses on the activist role of state attorneys general in the use of coordinated policy-oriented lawsuits to influence national policymaking. Explores their role through case studies involving drug pricing, environmental policy, and health care reform. Highlights the fact that this activism at the state level has led to expanded governmental power at all levels and has had both positive and negative impacts.
University Press of Kansas, 2015. 286 pages.
320.6 N716 2015
 

 

7. Texas Women First: Leading Ladies of Lone Star History By Sherrie S. McLeRoy
Celebrates the contributions and achievements of a mix of unconventional, trailblazing women in the Lone Star state. Profiles famous and not so famous women who broke barriers in areas as diverse as aeronautics, government, arts & entertainment, business, education, medicine, law, military, and social justice. Highlights memorable "firsts" accomplished by Texas women who have helped shape American history and continue to influence and inspire generations of people.
History Press, 2015. 188 pages.

979 M154T 2015

1. Dissent and The Supreme Court: Its Role in the Court's History and The Nation's Constitutional Dialogue By Melvin I. Urofsky
Illustrates how a select number of dissenting opinions of the Supreme Court have been vital in the constitutional dialogue that has shaped the U.S. Constitution and our democratic society. Identifies significant dissents that prevailed over time, where critical dialogue was initiated by the dissenters and the Court sometimes, either quickly or decades later, adjusted its position and adopted the dissenting opinion. Addresses opinions on several issues including slavery, segregation, free speech, capital punishment, abortion, and gay rights. Argues dissent and constitutional dialogue are necessary in reinventing and reinvigorating our society and essential in keeping the Constitution alive.
Pantheon Books, 2015. 426 pages.
342.7302 UR6D 2015


 

2. Saving Capitalism: for the Many, Not the Few By Robert B. Reich
Discusses the political landscape that has shaped our current economic system. Examines the free market and how it is regulated, the worth and value of work, and the role of countervailing power in the shaping of economic policy and discourse. Ponders how the United States economy could be made more inclusive and stable through the establishment of programs such as a basic minimum income or the scaling back of copyright protections.
Alfred A. Knopf, 2015. 279 pages.
330.973 R271S 2015
 

 

 

3. In Defense of a Liberal Education By Fareed Zakaria
Discusses the virtues of a liberal arts education at a time when many feel that this kind of undergraduate degree is a waste of time and money. Recounts the author's own educational experience in India and at Yale to help challenge the current belief held by many in the U.S. that students must obtain a skills-based education in order to succeed. Argues that while a professional education may ensure students a job upon graduating, it is the students who have learned to write and think clearly and analytically, and to express themselves convincingly who are of the most value to employers and society in the long run.
W.W. Norton & Company, 2015. 204 pages.
370.11 Z13I 2015


 

4. Hate Crimes in Cyberspace By Danielle Keats Citron
Examines cyber-stalking/harassment through a documented series of personal accounts, many of which include threats of violence, privacy invasions, and cyber-stalking. Proposes that a more proactive approach is needed to combat hate crimes online, both by legislators and private businesses. Argues that there should be a balance between an individual's right to online privacy and someone else's right to free speech online, which sets the stage for a new civil rights fight in the digital age.
Harvard University Press, 2014. 343 pages.
364.150285 C498H 2014


 

5. Then Comes Marriage: United States v. Windsor and the Defeat of DOMA By Roberta Kaplan with Lisa Dickey
Chronicles the history of the United States v. Windsor case in which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) unconstitutional. Offers a personal and behind-the-scenes view of the litigation, including the oral argument before the Court, by the lead plaintiff's attorney in the case, Roberta Kaplan.
W.W. Norton & Company, 2015. 350 pages.
346.7301 K141C 2015


 

 

6. Democracy's Muse: How Thomas Jefferson Became an FDR Liberal, a Reagan Republican, and a Tea Party Fanatic, All the While Being Dead By Andrew Burstein
Explores how politicians on the right and left have made Thomas Jefferson the definer of essential American values, as they see them. Investigates how the past has sometimes been misappropriated, highlighting examples of racism and separation of church and state. Concludes Jefferson has become whatever an adoring posterity has needed him to be, and therefore, this critique of modern politics is as much about us as it is about Jefferson.
University of Virginia Press, 2015. 256 pages.
320.01 B949D 2015

1. Reimagining Courts: A Design for the Twenty-First Century By Victor E. Flango and Thomas M. Clarke
Calls for a re-examination of courts’ essential functions to determine if they are meeting the needs of litigants and to clarify the mismatch between how individuals perceive courts and their actual workloads. Outlines proposals for reform and barriers to their implementation. Offers a comprehensive and integrated redesign of state and local courts to realign and reconcile court duties with different methods of case processing that increase access to justice, improve customer service, and maximize financial resources. Provides examples of courts that are successfully using recommended practices.
Temple University Press, 2015. 215 pages.
347.01 F614R 2015


 

2. Diversity Explosion: How New Racial Demographics are Remaking America By William H. Frey
Explores the transformational demographic change in the United States as a pivotal period for race in America. Discusses the growth of "new minorities," particularly Hispanics, Asians, and multiracial Americans, and their impact on regional shifts, generational change, neighborhood segregation, interracial marriage, and presidential politics. Charts the economic advances of the black population and the reverse migration of blacks back into the South. Includes discussion of various demographic and voter groups in Texas.
Brookings Institution Press, 2015. 301 pages.
305.8 F898D 2015


 

3. The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt By Edmond Morris
Profiles the pre-presidential life of Theodore Roosevelt, from his birth in New York City through his service as William McKinley's Vice-President. Includes a deeply researched examination of all aspects of Roosevelt's early life, including his time as a precocious child, a Harvard student, a New York State Assemblyman, a rancher & cowboy, New York City Police Commissioner, Lieutenant-Colonel and leader of the "Rough Riders," New York Governor, and Vice President of the United States. Explores Roosevelt's personal life through his relationship with his family, wives, and children, along with the personal and political friendships developed throughout his life and political career.
Random House, 2010. 920 pages.
973.911 R677M


 

4. Truth Overruled: The Future of Marriage and Religious Freedom By Ryan T. Anderson
Presents the arguments of a Senior Research Fellow at the Heritage Foundation who believes the Supreme Court's Obergefell v. Hodges, same-sex marriage ruling, was "pure judicial activism." Examines the idea of marriage and consequences of its legal redefinition, the idea of religious liberty as an inherent right, and the perception of "defenders of marriage" as bigots. Explains his arguments are based on philosophy, jurisprudence, political science, and social science and that the book provides those who disagree a better understanding of his arguments, and provides those who agree a better understanding of the nature of the debate.
Regnery Publishing, 2015. 256 pages.
306.81 AN24T 2015


 

5. Picturing Texas Politics: A Photographic History from Sam Houston to Rick Perry By Chuck Bailey
Presents the military, social, and political history of Texas through a kaleidoscope of iconic images and rare photographs that in some cases have never been published. Captures influential and colorful politicians at work, campaigning, or at home to tell the story of Texas politics from the Republic of Texas to modern day. Compliments this unique collection of photographs with chapter introductions and captions written by historian Patrick Cox.
University of Texas Press, 2015. 230 pages.
320.09764 B151P 2015


 

6. Give Us the Ballot: The Modern Struggle for Voting Rights in America By Ari Berman
Chronicles the events preceding and following the adoption of the Voting Rights Act (VRA) of 1965. Explores the journey America has endured in its search for voting equality for its citizens; from the Martin Luther King, Jr. lead marches in Selma to recent efforts to thwart minorities from voting. Proposes that tactics such as gerrymandering and voter ID laws, passed under the guise of "combating voter fraud," are motivated by politics, meant to suppress minority voter turnout. Suggests that although the VRA was passed 50 years ago, there are still battles to be fought in the quest for voting rights for all Americans.
Farrar, Straus and Girous, 2015. 372 pages.
324.620973 B456G 2015