Lone Stars

"Desperately affecting." —The New York Times “Generous and epic...takes us through generations of a singular family, whose loves and losses also tell us a story about America itself." —Eliot Schrefer, National Book Award finalist, author of Endangered Justin Deabler's Lone Stars follows the arc of four generations of a Texan family in a changing America. Julian Warner, a father at last, wrestles with a question his husband posed: what will you tell our son about the people you came from, now that they're gone? Finding the answers takes Julian back in time to Eisenhower's immigration border raids, an epistolary love affair during the Vietnam War, crumbling marriages, queer migrations to Cambridge and New York, up to the disorienting polarization of Obama's second term. And in these answers lies a hope: that by uncloseting ourselves—as immigrants, smart women, gay people—we find power in empathy.

An uplifting story about role models, football, and tackling fear set in the heart of Friday Night Lights country—from the bestselling author of Heat, Travel Team, and Fantasy League. Clay is a quarterback's dream. When he zips across the field, arms outstretched, waiting for the ball to sail into his hands, there's no denying him the catch. Like most Texans, Clay is never more at home than when playing football. And his coach, a former star player for the Dallas Cowboys, is just like a second father. But as the football season kicks off, Clay begins to notice some odd behavior from his coach--lapses in his memory and strange mood swings. The conclusion is painful, but obvious: Coach Cooper is showing side effects of the many concussions he sustained during his playing days. As Clay's season wears on, it becomes clear that the real victory will be to help his coach walk onto that famous star logo in the middle of Cowboys Field one last time--during a Thanksgiving day ceremony honoring him and his former Super Bowl-winning teammates. In Lone Stars, #1 New York Times bestseller Mike Lupica demonstrates once again that there is no children's sports novelist today who can match his ability to weave a story of vivid sports action and heartfelt emotion. A touching story that proves life is bigger than a game. Praise for Lone Stars "Lupica has crafted another fine sports story for the middle school reader."—VOYA "Young readers, no matter their level of interest in the game, will be drawn in by this touching, timely story."—Booklist "There is plenty of great football action to keep the sports enthusiasts engaged, and the information about concussive injury is easily understood and applied. This is an entertaining read that also imparts an important message."—School Library Connection

An essay collection of lively written, lavishly illustrated, and well-documented narratives on the history and culture of Texas Jews.

Explore the world of Lone Star quilts! Expert teacher Jan Krentz shows you how to use today’s techniques to simplify this intricate design. 6 colorful projects - you’ll want to get started right away! Rotary cutting saves you time, while imaginative additions such as appliqué and “designer diamonds” give these Lone Stars a fresh, updated look. Jan teaches you everything you’ll need to know to make the Lone Star quilt of your dreams, from fabric choices to finishing touches. A gallery of eye-catching Lone Star quilts to inspire your creativity

High Fidelity meets Blue Highways in this gloriously offbeat quest for the true roots of Texas Swing.

Originally published: New York: Free Press, 2004.

Laura Draper is having the worst day of her life. Before she knows what’s happening, her career as a magazine editor, her relationship with a well-known photojournalist, and her sanity are all unraveling. She finds herself marooned at a crossroads in nowhere Texas wondering which way to turn when two very strange, elderly ladies convince Laura to come inside their little café. There, Mernalene and Hasselene serve up their special coffee, homemade buttermilk pie, and one delectable, home-grown cowboy. When you’re living an hour from the nearest Wal Mart, and even further from the nearest mall, you learn to appreciate the simple things our parents and grandparents treasured. In this part of the world, life moves with a quiet simplicity, and every town is centered around the local café. – Lisa Wingate, writing about the inspiration for her Texas trilogy.

An indispensable resource to all manner of flowers, fruits, vegetables, trees, and grasses, this collection of lists provide expert-tested recommendations for the plants best suited to Texas's unusual extremes. The gardening guidance provided applies to the entire state, including plants adapted to the wide diversity of climates and soil types.

The definitive account of the incomparable Lone Star state by the author of Fire & Blood: A History of Mexico. T. R. Fehrenbach is a native Texan, military historian and the author of several important books about the region, but none as significant as this work, arguably the best single volume about Texas ever published. His account of America's most turbulent state offers a view that only an insider could capture. From the native tribes who lived there to the Spanish and French soldiers who wrested the territory for themselves, then to the dramatic ascension of the republic of Texas and the saga of the Civil War years. Fehrenbach describes the changes that disturbed the state as it forged its unique character. Most compelling is the one quality that would remain forever unchanged through centuries of upheaval: the courage of the men and women who struggled to realize their dreams in The Lone Star State.