|
Spotlight on Texas is a biannual cassette publication announcing
the latest audio books produced by volunteers at the Talking Book
Program Volunteer Recording Studio in Austin and at the Recording
Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped in Midland. The
audio version of "Spotlight on Texas" is distributed on
request to Texans with disabilities who are registered to receive
the Talking Book Program's free library service.
Since 1978, Talking Book volunteers have recorded thousands of
fiction and nonfiction titles by Texas authors or about the history,
culture, folklore, and people of the Lone Star state. Titles recorded
include biographies, histories, westerns, romances, mysteries, self-help,
travel, and children's books. Approximately 10 new books are completed
each month, including some in Spanish. In addition, volunteers record
three Texas magazines: Texas Monthly, Texas Parks & Wildlife,
and Texas Highways.
If you would like to receive an audio cassette copy of "Spotlight
on Texas," please contact the Talking Book Program through
the phone numbers, e-mail address, postal address, or fax number
listed at the bottom of this
page.
To order any of the books listed below, note the titles and CT
book numbers you would like to request. Then call a Reader Consultant
toll-free in Texas at 1-800-252-9605 or, in Austin, at 512-463-5458.
A voicemail message service is available after hours and on weekends
for you to leave book requests or other messages. Say your full
name and patron number (if known) clearly when leaving messages
and give the CT book number and title for each request. Book orders
may also be sent in an e-mail message to: tbp.services@tsl.state.tx.us.
Following the list of titles recently recorded by our volunteers,
we also feature in this issue a section on short stories recorded
in years past. We are pleased to provide you this reminder that
these short story books are available.
Note the titles and book numbers you would like to request, then
call us at any time with your order.
return to top
Fiction
The Baron Range
CT 6465
by Jory Sherman, Narrated by Jack Gazzale, 3 cassettes
In this sequel to “The Barons of Texas,” Sherman continues
the story of the Baron family. Years ago Martin Baron came to Texas
with the dream of building a cattle empire. Now savage floods and
battles with the Apache threaten both his hopes and the lives of
his family and ranch hands. Anson Baron has just turned seventeen
when Mickey Bone, an Apache, rides away to rejoin his tribe. More
than anything, Anson wants to go with him. He sees himself traveling
alone with his horse. Anson is about to get his wish. Despite hardship
and uncertainty, it is time for him to come of age and learn the
truth about his family’s past in an unforgiving land. This
book contains: Some Sex, Violence, Profanity
Big Red Tequila
CT 6485
by Rick Riordan, Narrated by Tom Fairbrother, 2 cassettes
Jackson “Tres” Navarre and his enchilada-eating cat,
Robert Johnson, pull into San Antonio and find nothing waiting but
trouble. Ten years ago Navarre left town and the memory of his father’s
murder behind him. Now he’s back, looking for answers. Yet
the more Tres digs, trying to put his suspicions to rest, the fresher
the decade-old crime looks: Mafia connections, construction site
payoffs, and slick politicians’ games all conspire to ruin
his homecoming. This book contains: Violence, Profanity
Caballero: A Historical Novel
CT 6143
by Jovita Gonzalez Mireles, Narrated by Denise Descouzis, 3
cassettes
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. This book contains: Violence
Crossing Shattuck Bridge
CT 6504
by Annette Sanford, Narrated by Andree Rosen, 1 cassette
Short stories set in rural Texas. In the title story, two longtime
friends returning from a funeral must find a way to cross a fog-shrouded
bridge; their mutual terror loosens their tongues and they confess
to each other a guilty secret they've hidden for years. In "Housekeeping,"
when a storm tears a hole in Miss Eloise Bannister's rent house
roof, the itinerant carpenter who volunteers to repair it is so
capable and charming he manages to remodel Miss Bannister's life
and in "Mr. Moore's Old Car," ten-year-old Molly's foundations
shift when a Saturday escapade with a cat leads her to a photograph
of her mother in the arms of the man who lives across the alley.
return to top
Death of a Saint Maker
CT 6439
by Allana Martin, Narrated by Ruth Borinstein, 2 cassettes
Trading post owner Texana Jones is at the dedication of a restored
chapel in a tiny town in a remote region of the Chihuahuan desert
on the Texas border with Mexico along the Rio Grande river. But
guests arriving for the dedication find the door locked; when it
is forced open, they come upon the body of the Saint Maker, an itinerant
woodcarver who made the statue of the Virgin of Guadalupe for the
chapel. Standing over the body is a pit bull, covered with blood.
This book contains: Violence, Profanity
The Death Of Tarpons
CT 6153
by Leslie Edgerton, Narrated by Robert Brown, 2 cassettes
Set on the Texas Gulf Coast, this is the eloquent story of a young
Corey John’s fourteenth summer. As he revisits his hometown
and recalls his youth thirty years later, Corey comes to grips with
the realization that his father was incapable of love. But the unconditional
support and affection offered by his grandfather enabled him to
survive. It is this loving heritage that Corey resolves to pass
on to his own children. This book contains: Violence, Profanity
The Death of the Necromancer
CT 6496
by Martha Wells, Narrated by Paul Klemperer, 4 cassettes
In a tale of passion, danger, magic, and deadly adventure, Nicholas
Valiarde is a passionate, embittered nobleman with an enigmatic
past. Consumed by thoughts of revenge, Nicholas assumes the guise
of a master criminal, stealing jewels from wealthy nobles to finance
his quest for vengeance: the murder of Count Montesq. Montesq orchestrated
the wrongful execution of Nicholas’ beloved godfather on false
charges of necromancy – the art of divination through communion
with the dead – a practice long outlawed in the kingdom of
Ile-Rien. But someone with tremendous magical powers is opposing
him. This book contains: Violence
Devil's Leg Crossing: The 1st Maris Middleton Mystery
CT 6491
by Kaye Davis, Narrated by Therese East, 1 cassette
When sixteen-year-old Karin Beauchamp disappears from her Texas
home, the local police believe she's run away. Frustrated by the
inadequate investigation, Karin's aunt, Lauren O'Conner, takes a
leave of absence from the F.B.I. and hires independent crime scene
specialist Maris Middleton to help her find her niece. Maris isn't
sure which she finds more disconcerting – the dearth of hard
evidence or her growing attraction for the enigmatic Lauren. The
discovery of Karin's blood soaked blouse appears to be a turning
point in the case, until Maris's lab tests show it's not the type
of blood they expected. Unknown to the women, someone linked to
Karin is about to have a deadly "accident," an accident
that will lead them to long-buried scandals, dark family secrets,
and the evil that lurks at Devil's Leg Crossing. This book contains:
Some Sex, Violence, Profanity
return to top
Going Home Again
CT 6455
by Howard Waldrop, Narrated by Jack Gazzale, 2 cassettes
Waldrop’s collection of short stories are wacky, whimsical,
profound, emblematic, funny, and right off the deep end. “Flatfeet!”,
a madcap tour of this century’s first decades, courtesy of
the Keystone Kops, “Occam’s Ducks”, an homage
to those brave black actors of the 1930’s. And beware the
masked Mexican wrestlers of “El Castillo de la Perseverancia!"
This book contains: Profanity
Grinning in His Mashed Potatoes
CT 6482
by Margaret Moseley, Narrated by Linda Fox, 1 cassette
Book rep Honey Huckleberry is happy to attend a luncheon fundraiser
for Twyman Towerie, the number-two bestselling author in the world.
But the luncheon of her career turns into a catastrophe when the
esteemed author drops dead face first into the mashed potatoes.
Aside from ruining her appetite, evidence of murder keeps Honey
intrigued. There isn't a shortage of suspects each of Towerie's
four ex-wives harbors dire secrets about his writing career. But
can Honey find the killer - before the murderer's next plot lands
her in deep gravy? This book contains: Violence, Profanity
Hank the Cowdog: The Case of the Measled Cowboy
CT 6469
by John R. Erickson, Narrated by Bob Jackson, 1 cassette
When Sally May and Loper head off to visit the relatives, leaving
Slim in charge of Little Alfred, Hank knows that trouble is sure
to come knocking. But not even the Head of Ranch Security could
have predicted what would happen. First, Slim is struck down with
the measles. Then a blizzard hits the ranch, trapping them in the
house with no heat or electricity. Somehow, Hank's got to find a
way to get them out of this mess ... before they're snowed in for
good.
Hank the Cowdog: The Case of the Vanishing Fishhook
CT 6473
by John R. Erickson, Narrated by Bob Jackson, 1 cassette
Even after an exhausting morning defending the ranch against a vicious
one-eyed robot, Hank the Cowdog, Head of Ranch Security, still has
energy left to supervise Little Alfred's fishing trip. But what
starts as a routine expedition turns into a first-class crisis when
Hank reels in more than he bargained for. A fishhook finds its way
into Hank's stomach, which is bad news indeed. Is there hope for
Hank, or is this curtains for our hero? Find out in this hair-raising,
hilarious adventure starring everyone's favorite cowdog.
Joshua Beene and God
CT 6467
by Jewel Gibson, Narrated by Dorothy Blair, 2 cassettes
This novel, set in East Texas, follows one curmudgeonly religious
leader's crusade against Spring Creek's Baptists, Holy Rollers,
and nonbelievers. Joshua Ebenezer Beene, as chief elder of the Church
of Christ of Spring Creek Community, president of the school board,
justice of the peace, and self-appointed game warden, regularly
summons God to seek advice on how to carry out his crusade –
which, as the novel opens, has taken on a special urgency.
return to top
The Ladies Farm: A Novel
CT 6486
by Viqui Litman, Narrated by Therese East, 2 cassettes
After you've raised the kids, been widowed or divorced once or twice,
or even if - especially if - you've been married for a few decades,
you need a rest. The Ladies Farm offers relaxation, exercise, crafts
classes, and a fully equipped beauty salon. This idyllic retreat
set in the hills of Sydonia, Texas, is owned and operated by four
friends: Pauline, Rita, Della, and Kate. When Barbara, widow of
Della's lover Richard, shows up, all hell breaks loose. A novel
about women who are old enough to know what they want and young
enough to get it. This book contains: Profanity
Lasting Attachments: Stories
CT 6053
by Annette Sanford, Narrated by Jeanne Guichard, 1 cassette
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 contented spinster whose garden is her pride must come to
terms with the intrusive chatter of a new TV set.
Lonesome No More
CT 6519
by Jean Brashear, Narrated by Sue Bilich, 2 cassettes
Wilderness guide Mitch Gallagher was hard as iron. A loner to the
bone. Yet, fragile, fiercely maternal Perrie Matheson and her young
son needed refuge from her ex, and from the Wyoming winter. And
Mitch's cabin was straight ahead. Mitch reluctantly offered sanctuary
and nursed delicate Perrie to health. And soon Perrie's honeyed
heat sparked a hunger in Mitch's soul. Stole his rusty, unused heart.
But dare a lone wolf warm himself by a family fire? This book contains:
Some Sex
Marriage á la Mode
CT 6511
by Elisabeth Fairchild, Narrated by Marilyn Swinton, 2 cassettes
The “ton” was in an uproar! The King was bringing divorce
proceedings against the Queen. And Lady Melody Bainbridege was doing
the same against the cruel lord she had wed a few years before.
Now forced to hide her face behind the veil of her fashionable leghorn
hat, Melody found she could not stop Dunstan Hays, Earl of Erroll,
from gazing at her. He had come to Kent to fetch a cherry-tree sapling
for his home in the Highlands. It was perfectly logical for the
sightseeing Melody to mistake the strong Scotsman for a gardener-his
warm words made hope blossom again in her heart.
Pancho and Black Jack
CT 6039
by Fred Bean, Narrated by Dorothy Browning, 3 cassettes
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. Author Fred
Bean has fashioned a tale of ambition and revenge from an incident
that is still in dispute among historians. This book contains: Heavy
Sex, Violence, Profanity
return to top
Patricide
CT 6509
by Elizabeth Fackler, Narrated by Therese East, 2 cassettes
El Paso Police Detective Devon Grey is uncomfortable. It's not just
that he's investigating a homicide, or that the victim was sexually
abusing his own daughter. And it's not that the other family members
are suspects, or that the whole family seems mired in sordid muck.
It's that the case is too close to home. Following the killer's
murky trail through one family's depravity, Grey is getting a sense
of deja vu. The suspect's family trouble is mirroring that of his
own family. This book contains: Some Sex, Profanity
The Peacekeeper
CT 6516
by Jeffrey Poston , Narrated by Jack Gazzale, 1 cassette
Jason Pears had cleared his name of murder charges in a court of
law, but he still led the life of a man on the run, always looking
over his shoulder for a bounty hunter or a troublemaker who took
exception to Jay being the product of a mixed marriage. Wondering
if he'd ever be able to settle down without looking over his shoulder
for the next fast gun hoping to make a reputation, Jay Peares accepts
a job with a powerful rancher named Pritchett, who wants all the
squatters off his range. Jay soon realizes that Pritchett will kill
anyone who gets in his way and when Jay switches sides to join the
homesteaders, he is in Pritchett's way. This book contains: Violence
Pillars of Gold and Silver
CT 6489
by Beatriz de la Garza, Narrated by Julie Shuey, 2 cassettes
After her father is killed in the Korean War, young Blanca Estela
and her mother leave California to spend the summer in Revilla,
a town in northern Mexico where Blanca’s grandmother lives.
But Blanca misses the comforts and amenities of the United States
until she begins to be able to communicate with her newly-acquired
Spanish. She learns about love and friendship, each accompanied
by both joy and the sadness of separation. Gradually she discovers
in Revilla a home away from home.
The Price of Passion
CT 6512
by Evelyn Palfrey, Narrated by Janice Lathin, 2 cassettes
“Does it have a name?,” Vivian asked Walter. What would
be the proper question to ask her husband of nearly twenty years,
when he brings home his baby by another woman, as casually as a
bag of groceries she’d asked him to pick up? Why would he
expect her to accept it? Who is the mother and why won’t Walter
reveal her identity? Should Vivian stay with Walter, with his political
power and wealth, so that she can keep the baby she’s grown
to love? Or, knowing that she can never have a child, should she
give up the baby for Marc – the man who’s shown her
what love really is? This book contains: Heavy Sex, Profanity
return to top
Someone to Watch Over
CT 6514
by Trish Macdonald Skillman, Narrated by Melissa Tyler, 2 cassettes
In her disheveled little house on a run-down midwestern street she
has seen the signs he left her: a repaired step, a clean set of
dishes, even a new nightgown on her bed. Someone is watching over
her and her two children. Devastated by the death of her husband,
slowly Kate Eldridge begins to live again. Now she has a second
chance – at love and at happiness. But Kate doesn't know her
guardian angel has plans of his own, or what violent secrets haunt
him, or how far he will go to keep her and her children in his sight
and in his hands. It began as an act of kindness. Now it has turned
into a dangerous obsession. This book contains: Profanity
A Stone of the Heart: A Novel
CT 6510
by Tom Grimes, Narrated by Paul Klemperer, 1 cassette
A moving, sometimes hilarious account of a family trying to hold
itself together, A Stone of the Heart chronicles the dysfunction
of a Queens, New York, Irish-Catholic family. Set in 1961, the book
is narrated by the family’s older son, fourteen-year-old Michael
– overweight and obsessed with baseball – who is trying
to come to grips with his parents' disastrous marriage, his younger
brother's retreat into silence, and his grandparents' faltering
efforts to help. In baseball Michael finds the orderliness and clarity
lacking in his personal world.
Texas Teamwork
CT 6358
by J. T. Edson, Narrated by Staci Finch, 2 cassettes
Unlike the other deputies of the Rockabye County, Texas Sheriff’s
Office, Brad Counter had not first served as a municipal police
officer but had “caught his star” after graduating with
honors in Police Science from the University of Southern Texas.
He and his partner, Deputy Alice Fayde, are part of a team investigating
the near-fatal shooting of a fellow officer. The only witness is
too frightened to talk so Brad and Alice must devise a trap to catch
the shooter – a trap that could cost them their lives. This
book contains: Profanity
Tripwire
CT 6166
by Jay Brandon, Narrated by Lori Brix, 2 cassettes
After witnessing a killing connected to an underworld mastermind,
Elizabeth Truett is contacted by a young man claiming to be her
son – presumed dead in Vietnam. Now police captain Bill Jerek
must determine if he’s real or a hitman hired to get rid of
Elizabeth. This book contains: Profanity
return to top
Walking Rain
CT 6437
by Susan Wade, Narrated by Therese East, 3 cassettes
Eight years with a new name and a new identity have not succeeded
in wiping out the past. It was time for Amelia Rawlins to go home.
Home to the New Mexico ranch where she had spent her childhood summers.
But it was clear from the start that the horrors of the past had
not been laid to rest. Someone knew that Amelia had come back –
Amelia, who should have died on that long ago day, who should have
known better than to think she could come back and start over. Someone
was out to see that Amelia paid in full for her crimes. This book
contains: Violence, Profanity
A Whisper of Rage
CT 6353
by Timothy Hemlin, Narrated by Robert Brown, 2 cassettes
Graduate student and part-time chef Neil Marshall is once again
up to his neck in mayhem and murder when he innocently witnesses
the drive-by shooting of Houston’s most famous detective,
C. J. McDaniels. Neil rushes the wounded investigator to the hospital,
saving his life and becoming the media’s darling. The hitmen
do not see Neil as a hero but as an eyewitness who must be eliminated.
This book contains: Some Sex, Violence, Profanity
White Leg
CT 6233
by Max Martinez, Narrated by Bill McLean, 2 cassettes
Gil Blue’s fourteen-month career robbing convenience stores
in White Leg and surrounding towns in Texas comes to an explosive
end in the early hours one morning, when a Texas Ranger walks in
on a holdup in progress. Gil is forced to shoot and ends up catapulted
from small-time hood into big-time criminal. Also his wife sets
him up to take the fall for a kidnapping. The law is after him and
the crooks are too. Gil must scramble to stay out of the line of
fire in a town where everybody wants him dead. This book contains:
Heavy Sex, Violence, Profanity
Who's Susan?
CT 6502
by L.C. Hayden, Narrated by Jeanne Guichard, 1 cassette
The first eighteen years of Susan Haynes' life are a complete blank.
Finding her past is not a priority until she goes to the daycare
center to pick up her four-year-old son Timmy. The center insists
that Susan had already picked him up. But she knows better, even
though everyone doubts her. Susan is forced to search alone for
her son while the world around her crumbles and her past and present
interweave to reveal a shocking truth. Susan realizes that is she
is to save her son's life, she must first answer one question: "Who's
Susan?" This book contains: Violence
Widower’s Two-Step
CT 6505
by Rick Riordan, Narrated by Robert Brown, 3 cassettes
Tres Navarre has just hours of apprenticeship time to serve before
he can go for his P.I. license. Staking out a musician suspected
of stealing a demo tape should be a piece of pan dulce. But his
attention wanders just long enough for fiddle player Julie Kearnes
to be gunned down before his eyes. The missing demo and Julie’s
murder are just two of the problems besetting Miranda Daniels, a
pint-sized singer with a Texas-sized talent. As Tres looks into
the dirty dealings surrounding Miranda, it becomes clear he’s
stepped into a rattlesnakes’ nest of greed, double cross,
and murder. This book contains: Some Sex, Violence, Profanity
return to top
Nonfiction
Bad Hand: A Biography of General Ranald S. Mackenzie
CT 6479
by Charles M. Robinson III, Narrated by Sergio Villarreal, 3 cassettes
As a Civil War hero, victorious Indian fighter and eventual madman,
much has been written about General Ranald S. Mackenzie in scholarly
journals, but now his fascinating life, his brilliant accomplishments,
and his descent into madness are brought to life in a complete and
thoroughly researched biography that reestablishes his importance
in the history of Texas and the United States. This book contains:
Violence
Frankie: Mrs. R.D. Randolph and Texas Liberal Politics
CT 6468
by Ann Fears Crawford, Narrated by Jeanne Guichard, 1 cassette
Sweeping from Frankie Randolph's early years in the East Texas pineywoods
to the turbulent years of Texas politics from the 1950s to the 1970s,
this book traces the accomplishments of the woman who symbolized
liberal politics in Texas.
Hal and Charlie: The Texas Peterson Brothers Who Risked
a Fortune for a Hill Country Foundation
CT 6492
by Vicki J. Audette, Narrated by Linda Fox, 1 cassette
As different as rock and water, these two brothers formed an unwritten
partnership which grew to empire status in the first half of the
twentieth century. And this empire evolved into perhaps the two
greatest gifts ever bestowed upon the Texas Hill Country: the Hal
and Charlie Peterson Foundation and the Sid Peterson Memorial Hospital
in Kerrville, Texas.
Lizards on the Mantel, Burros at the Door: A Big Bend Memoir
CT 6501
by Etta Koch, Narrated by Karen Watkins, 1 cassette
In this book based on her journals and letters, Etta Koch and her
daughter June Cooper Price chronicle their family's first years
(1944-1946) in the Big Bend. Etta describes how her photographer
husband Peter Koch became captivated by the region as a place for
natural history filmmaking - and how she and their three young daughters
slowly adapted to a pioneer lifestyle. In vivid, often humorous
anecdotes, she describes making the rock house into a home, getting
to know the Park Service personnel and other neighbors, coping with
the local wildlife, and most of all, learning to love the rugged
landscape and the hardy individuals who call it home.
return to top
Our Personal War: A WWII Story of Love and Terror
CT 6493
by Jan Tickner, Narrated by Cindy Johnson, 1 cassette
The delights and agonies of being a wartime sweetheart, bride, and
survivor are remembered by the author a half century after World
War II. In this memoir, Tickner tells of World War II as seen from
the homefront. In 1944, her new husband's bomber was shot down over
France and he was reported as missing in action. He was rescued
by the French underground. The author and her husband found solace
in their faith, both in the anxious days in France and back home
in Texas following the war. In this true story for young and old
alike, the author shares their personal wisdom, humor, and insight.
Renewing America's Soul: A Spiritual Psychology For Home,
Work, and Nation
CT 6265
by Howard E. Butt, Narrated by Bob Jackson, 3 cassettes
We are all on a life-journey for which there is neither map nor
itinerary. This author recounts, with insights from both the Bible
and psychiatry, his own life-journey along a road of pain, love,
and hope. From the perspective of the committed Christian, he offers
his insights on revitalizing marriages, family relationships, the
workplace and the nation itself.
Secrets Under The Bridge
CT 6201
by Overton Shelmire, Narrated by Bob Jackson, 2 cassettes
Born in Dallas in 1930, Overton Shelmire co-founded Beran and Shelmire
Architects after earning his degree in architecture from the University
of Texas in Austin. Friends told him repeatedly that his stories
of growing up in a family full of love, friendship, and adventure
were too much fun not to be shared. He wrote this memoir as a tribute
to his family, especially his adored older brother, Bedford. This
book contains: Some Sex, Violence, Profanity
Stevie Ray: Soul to Soul
CT 5943
by Keri Leigh, Narrated by Bill McLean, 3 cassettes
Three months before the helicopter crash that took his life in August
1990, Stevie Ray Vaughan began to discuss a biography with Keri
Leigh, a fellow musician, writer, and friend. Her objective was
to tell his story as he wanted it told. This celebration of the
great guitarist concentrates on his musical career and includes
a number of personal remembrances from musicians who knew him well.
This book contains: Profanity
return to top
Texans Behind the News: Texas Journalists of the 20th Century
CT 6483
by Dede Weldon Casad, Narrated by Linda Fox, 1 cassette
Texans have always been in the news. Rarely is there a thirty-minute
newscast from any of the major networks that does not have a story
based out of Texas. Texas journalists have written their stories
or filed their reports with dignity and grace for the entire twentieth
century. This book is a tribute to their lives.
Time To Get Serious: Daily Devotions To Keep You Close
To God
CT 6079
by Anthony T. Evans, Narrated by Bob Jackson, 3 cassettes
Popular Dallas pastor Anthony Evans believes that living the Christian
life involves challenges, conflicts, and spiritual confrontations.
Because many Christians have separated their faith from their daily
lives, they are unprepared to deal with the challenges and conflicts
successfully. This book of Biblical meditations was written to help
believers refocus their lives on knowing God and communicating through
prayer.
Whistle in the Piney Woods
CT 6474
by Robert S. Maxwell, Narrated by Noble Atkins, 1 cassette
Whistle in the Piney Woods is the story of the founding of the Houston
East and West Texas Railroad by Paul Bremond, its symbiotic relationship
with forests and the lumber industry and its role in the development
of East Texas. Bremond was a unique man of many enterprises, a bold
entrepreneur in the true American spirit. Bremond and his railroad
provide a significant case study of the development of short railroad
lines in the United States. The story is a worthy addition to the
history of American railroads as well as to the history of the East
Texas region.
The Wit and Wisdom of Willie Kocurek
CT 6499
by Willie Kocurek with Ramona Van Loan, Narrated by Noble Atkins,
2 cassettes
Willie Kocurek is a unique and legendary icon best known for his
sharp wit and down home philosophy. He was born in Dime Box, Texas,
later moved to Caldwell, and eventually earned a BBA degree from
the University of Texas in 1933. He has had a long and successful
career as a businessman in Austin and at the age of 70 earned a
law degree from the University of Texas.
return to top
Spanish Fiction
Isla del Cundeamor (Island of Cundeamor)
CT 6372
by René Vázquez Díaz, Narrated by Dr.
Juan Lujan, 2 cassettes
Vázquez Díaz offers an eloquent portrait of an imaginary
island nation that bears a striking resemblance to his own native
Cuba. As the islanders tell their stories, their enduring hopes
transcend the stifling boundaries of daily life in Cundeamor. This
book contains: Some Sex, Profanity
Nen, La Inútil (Idle Dreamer)
CT 6376
by Ignacio Solares, Narrated by Daniela Sanchez, 1 cassette
Nen, the idle dreamer, is a woman whose misunderstood talent for
seeing into the future leads her to the palace of the emperor Montezuma
at the time of the Spanish conquest of Mexico. This book contains:
Some Sex, Profanity
Orilla Oscura (Dark Edge)
CT 6374
by José María Merino, Narrated by Marisol Brown, 2
cassettes
A Spanish professor who lives in the United States travels to Central
America on sabbatical. During a visit to a museum, he discovers
a portrait of a man who looks remarkably like his late father, a
discovery that causes the professor to re-examine his youth and
the events of his past. The “dark edge” of the novel’s
title refers to the fine line between past and present, fantasy
and reality, dreaming and waking.
return to top
Spanish Nonfiction
Año Que Viene Estamos en Cuba (Next Year in Cuba)
CT 6384
by Gustavo Pérez Firmat, Narrated by Dr. Juan Lujan, 2 cassettes
Exiled to the United States from his native Cuba at age eleven,
Perez Firmat fled the Communist regime with his family. All of the
members of the family believed that Castro would fall in a few weeks
and they would return to their peaceful life in their own country.
This memoir chronicles a thirty-year search for a way to meld two
traditions, two cultures, and two languages into a single identity.
As the author explains, families in Miami’s Little Havana
never gave up the hope that their customary New Year’s toast
would come true, “Next year we will be in Cuba.”
To order any of these titles, call 1-800-252-9605 or, in Austin,
512-463-5458.
return to top
Spotlight
on Short Stories
Thousands of additional titles recorded in Texas are available
from the Talking Book Program. Ask a Reader Consultant to recommend
other Texas titles and authors or have Texas titles added to your
reading list through our automatic selection program. A world of
Texas books is just a phone call or e-mail message away.
Among the titles available, you may want to consider ordering
these previously recorded short story titles:
Afoot in a Field of Men and Other Stories from Dallas East
Side
CT 3970
by Pat Ellis Taylor, Narrated by Therese East, 1 cassette
Winner of the 1983 Austin Book Award, this collection of eleven
short stories deals with life on the east side of Dallas, Texas.
The stories are told from the point of view of a woman who is dealing
with poverty, family upsets, and the problems of friends and neighbors.
This book contains: Some Sex, Profanity
Black Keys Only
CT 5980
by Troy Parsons, Narrated by Jim Cronenberg, 1 cassette
A collection of vignettes recalling the author’s childhood
growing up in the 1930’s on a farm in central Texas.
The Bride Wore Crimson and Other Stories
CT 5756
by Bryan Woolley, Narrated by Jeanne Guichard, 1 cassette
A new collection of “true Texas stories” by Woolley,
including inimitable word portraits of his uncle “Toy”,
charged with the murder of his new bride; the quest for “tangle-Free
Tom”, the $65,000 prize fish in the Lake Texoma Crappiethon;
and a lament for the dwindling horned toad population. This book
contains: Profanity
Calling
CT 3917
by Mary Gray Hughes, Narrated by Ginger Evans, 1 cassette
A collection of stories, two of which have been included in past
volumes of Best American Short Stories. The complete characters
of "Rock Garden" and "The Judge" are surprising
portrayals which one reads with suspense. The lead story "The
Foreigner in the Blood" is a moving tale of a daughter dealing
with a father whose mind is giving in to odd forms of senility.
Mary Gray Hughes writes with understanding and a true sense of compassion
for people.
Counterfeit Lady Unveiled, and Other Criminal Fiction of
Seventeenth-Century England
CT 1877
by Spiro Peterson, Narrated by Emily W. Lang, 3 cassettes
A collection of early English mystery stories, edited by Spiro Peterson.
return to top
Cowboys are Old Enough to Know Better
CT 6069
by John R. Erickson, Narrated by Therese East, 1 cassette
A collection of stories and short, thoughtful pieces primarily dealing
with cowboy experiences. Among these are five stories about Erickson’s
grouchy old rancher, Willie On the Next Ranch. These selections
take a humorous approach to life in the waning years of the twentieth
century.
Generations And Other True Stories
CT 6096
by Bryan Woolley, Narrated by Janice Lathin, 2 cassettes
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.
Horse Tales
CT 6091
by Ben K. Green, Narrated by Ric Furley, 1 cassette
Green, horse doctor and humorist, shares his growing-up years, telling
antic and often amazing tales of horses, cattle, mules, and even
people, set in the times “before air conditioning.”
Mirrors Beneath the Earth: Short Fiction by Chicano Writers
CT 5736
by Ray Gonzales, Narrated by Denise Descouzis, 2 cassettes
An historic and unique collection of contemporary fiction by Latino
writers. These 31 stories depict the richly varied experiences of
Mexican-Americans living in the United States. Authors represented
include already celebrated writers such as Sandra Cisneros, Rudolfo
Anaya, Ana Castillo, and Dagoberto Gilb, but many strong Latino
voices appear here for the first time in published form. This book
contains: Some Sex, Profanity
return to top
New Growth Two: Contemporary Short Stories by Texas Writers
CT 5746
by Mark Busby (editor), Narrated by Janice Langlinais, 2 cassettes
Editor Mark Busby has brought together short stories from 24 Texas
writers who reflect the new spirit and ethnic diversity of the Lone
Star State. These stories take the defining qualities that grow
from Southwestern legend and treat them in original ways. This book
contains: Some Sex, Violence, Profanity
Unbridled Spirits: Short Fiction About Women in the Old
West
CT 5826
by Judy Alter, Narrated by Jeanne Guichard, 3 cassettes
This collection of short stories refutes the traditional stereotypes
of women in western fiction – the pure schoolmarm, the soiled
dove with a heart of gold, the worn and weary settler’s wife
– to present strong and interesting women in both past and
present western fiction. This book contains: Profanity
return
to top
Ordering
More Texas Titles Thousands of additional titles recorded
in Texas are available from the Talking Book Program. Ask a Reader
Consultant to recommend other Texas titles and authors or have Texas
titles added to your reading list through our automatic selection
program. A world of Texas books is just a phone call or e-mail message
away.
As with all of the books in our collection, there is no time limit
for ordering any of these books. Feel free to ask for these titles
at any time – now or in the future.
The Texas volunteers welcome your comments and suggestions. Send
an e-mail message to the Volunteer Recording Studio at tbp.services@tsl.state.tx.us
or write to us at Volunteer Recording Studio, Talking Book Program,
PO Box 12927, Austin, TX 78711-2927. If you live in the Austin area
and are interested in volunteering to record books, please call
463-5546 for more information. Information about volunteering is
available on this website: http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/tbp/vrs.html
Talking Book Program, Austin, TX, January 2002.
Talking Book Program
Texas State Library & Archives Commission
PO Box 12927
Austin TX 78711-2927
1-800-252-9605 (in Texas)
512-463-5458 (in Austin)
512-936-0685 (fax)
tbp.services@tsl.state.tx.us
return
to top
|
