Product Description
On April 16, 1947, a small fire broke out among bags of ammonium nitrate fertilizer in the hold of the ship Grandcamp as it lay docked at Texas City, Texas. Despite immediate attempts to extinguish the fire, it rapidly intensified until the Grandcamp exploded in a blast that caused massive loss of life and property. In the ensuing chaos, no one gave much thought to the ship in the next slip, the High Flyer. It exploded sixteen hours later. The story of the Texas City explosions--America's worst industrial disaster in terms of casualties--has never been fully told until now. In this book, Hugh W. Stephens draws on official reports, newspaper and magazine articles, personal letters, and interviews with several dozen survivors to provide the first full account of the disaster at Texas City. Stephens describes the two explosions and the heroic efforts of Southeast Texans to rescue survivors and cope with extensive property damage. At the same time, he explores why the disaster occurred, showing how a chain of indifference and negligence made a serious industrial accident almost inevitable, while a lack of emergency planning allowed it to escalate into a major catastrophe. This gripping, cautionary tale holds important lessons for a wide reading public. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

MATTER OF FACT BOOK
I would describe this as something of a 'matter of fact book', not a thrill to read.That is not to say it's a bad book by any means, only that it is not written as a great story, but as a narrative of events in Texas City in April 47.The author looks at what happened, how it played out, and who was responsible.The human side of the disaster gets little attention, although there are some notable descriptions from time to time. The disaster is largely attributed to inexperience and complacency in handling explosive chemicals and fertilizer.Readers interested in the subject will likely enjoy this book, but it is far from the last word on what took place at the docks when the Grandcamp and High Flyer exploded.

pipi
A bit of American history that I had never known about.

A very detailed book about a bad day in Texas.

Texas History Reference
This book is a good source of information about the Texas City Disaster.I felt that the author was very factual about the events.However, I also felt that he seemed to concentrate on all the mistakes.Although it is necessary to point out the mistakes so that they may not be repeated, I felt that the book could also emphasize some of the positive results of the disaster.This is a very good book for reference.It is not weighted down with a lot sensationalism.

Little Known Event
I never read about this event in any of my history books. This story of events grips the reader or at least me and had me questioning how things could go so bad. It does not really touch you on an emotional level but more on an intellectual one. The information is all there and is told in matter-of-fact prose.It does not really editorialize and that is what I liked about it.

Thorough, but neither personal nor exciting.
This is a horrible disaster which needs to be known to all of us. As far as facts and figures, causes and blames, go, the book is thorough. What it is NOT is exciting or dramatic. I have read lots of disaster fiction and nonfiction, and what I find lacking in this book is the personal element--most such books DO include some of the many personal dramas which are part of such a major event. Lacking these, the book does not "touch" one the way it should. Similarly, the lack of personal histories weakens the drama inherent in such an event.

Certainly, read the book for the facts. But do not expect gripping drama. ... Read more

Product Description

Showcasing prominent commercial structures and the talented architects who brought them to life, these pictorial histories contain outstanding photography of some of the leading cities in the United States. Offering insight into the diversity and progression of metropolitan architecture, different firms represented in this series discuss the influences found in their featured work. Illuminating the unique and defining characteristics of each building, the process that brought it to fruition, and the impact each structure had on the community at large, these artistic chronicles will delight lovers of architecture, travel, and urban living.

History unfolds in this in-depth study of the region's most compelling commercial architecture, including Reliant Stadium, Bayou Place, and the Texas State Capitol. The rolling hills of Austin and the tropical climates of the Gulf Coast provide an exceptional canvas for the architecture of SHW Group, Powers Brown Architecture, Ziegler Cooper Architects, and Gignac Associates.

Product Description

As Austin grew from a college and government town of the 1950s into the sprawling city of 2010, two ideas of Austin as a place came into conflict. Many who promoted the ideology of growth believed Austin would be defined by economic output, money, and wealth. But many others thought Austin was instead defined by its quality of life. Because the natural environment contributed so much to Austin's quality of life, a social movement that wanted to preserve the city's environment became the leading edge of a larger movement that wanted to retain a unique sense of place. The "environmental movement" in Austin became the political and symbolic arm of the more general movement for place.

This is a history of the environmental movement in Austin--how it began; what it did; and how it promoted ideas about the relationships between people, cities, and the environment. It is also about a deeper movement to retain a sense of place that is Austin, and how that deeper movement continues to shape the way Austin is built today. The city it helped to create is now on the forefront of national efforts to rethink how we build our cities, reduce global warming, and find ways that humans and the environment can coexist in a big city.

Product Description

Austin, Texas, at the beginning of the twenty-first century, is experiencing one of the most dynamic periods in its history. Wedged between homogenizing growth and a long tradition of rebellious nonconformity, many Austinites feel that they are in the midst of a battle for the city's soul.

From this struggle, a movement has emerged as a form of resistance to the rapid urban transformation brought about in recent years: "Keep Austin Weird" originated in 2000 as a grassroots expression of place attachment and anti-commercialization. Its popularity has led to its use as a rallying cry for local business, as a rhetorical tool by city governance, and now as the unofficial civic motto for a city experiencing rapid growth and transformation.

By using "Keep Austin Weird" as a central focus, Joshua Long explores the links between sense of place, consumption patterns, sustainable development, and urban politics in Austin. Research on this phenomenon considers the strong influence of the "Creative Class" thesis on Smart Growth strategies, gentrification, income inequality, and social polarization made popular by the works of Richard Florida. This study is highly applicable to several emerging "Creative Cities," but holds special significance for the city considered the greatest creative success story, Austin.

Customer Reviews (1)

A fun yet scholarly read
Weird City is a nice exploration of how and why the "Keep Austin Weird" movement has influenced Austin, Texas. It explores whether Austinites are truly trying to preserve something unique or are just full of deluded hipsterism. This is based on Josh Long's dissertation but with the minor exception of a couple of chapters (with warnings given) does not read like one. It's fun, especially if you know the city. Lots of interviews with locals.

(Full disclosure: I'm one of those locals.) ... Read more

Product Description
[Menage Amour: Erotic Cowboy Menage a Trois Romance, M/M/F, BDSM, public exhibition] When the Dom's away...the subs will play! Jack and Sam married Abby. It was supposed to be for forever, but lately Abby wonders where her alpha male has gone. Jack has retreated, and life has become decidedly vanilla. It isn't the true threesome she and Sam wanted. Sam and Abby know the time has come to fight for what they need. A call from his mentor forces Jack to revisit the club where he discovered his sexuality. Jack's half-brother is in the city and interested in a little blackmail. Can Jack handle two defiant subs and a brother in need of tough love? Sometimes all it takes to find the way home is a little love and a lot of bondage. ** A Siren Erotic Romance ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A new BDSM favorite I will read over and over
This book is a sequel to Small Town Siren. When that book ended, I was dying to see where the relationship between Jack, Sam, and Abby would go next. I had really high hopes for this book, and I was not disappointed.

As a Dom, Jack has always felt a need to protect and shelter those he loves. But Abby and Jack's near miss with Ruby Echols has left him haunted and withdrawn.

So how can two subs bring their beloved Dom back to "life"? By getting a little naughty!

I absolutely adored this book. It was so exciting getting deeper inside the minds of Jack and Sam, and when Sam stands up for what he wants I was really blown away.

The sex in this book left me breathless. It was scorching hot, but it was also emotional and passionate. The scenes in The Club make me wish such a place really existed. I would definitely have to make a field trip.

I can't wait for the next book. I want to spend more time with Jack, Sam, and Abby but also I wouldn't mind seeing more of Julian and Lucas.

Fun to read
I found this book of course to be fun to read, but I did not think it was as good as the 1st.
I found Jack to be a bit annoying, I mean please! He supposed to know what his Subs want and he does a 180 right after he marries on what he thinks should be normal. I also thought the ending was a bit disjointed and not really all that good. Good erotica still.
Otherwise I would still buy it because I still enjoyed it. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an OCR edition without illustrations or index. It may have numerous typos or missing text. However, purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original rare book from GeneralBooksClub.com. You can also preview excerpts from the book there. Purchasers are also entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Subtitle: Adopted by the Constitutional Convention Begun and Held at the City of Austin on the Sixth Day of September, 1875; Original Published by: Press of Deaf-mute Institute in 1891 in 86 pages; Subjects: Constitutions; History / United States / State & Local / Southwest; Law / Constitutional; Political Science / Constitutions; ... Read more

Product Description
In Failure to Learn: The BP Texas City Refinery Disaster, respected OHS expert Professor Andrew Hopkins discusses the causes of a major explosion at the Texas City Oil Refinery on March 23, 2005, that killed 15 workers and injured more than 170 others. Failure to Learn also analyses the similarities between this event and the Longford Gas Plant explosion in Victoria in 1998, featured in his earlier book Lessons from Longford.Professor Andrew Hopkins is being recognized by the European Process Safety Centre in October 2008, in recognition of his contribution to safety. Professor Hopkins is the first winner to receive the award, outside of Europe, which is a demonstration of the impact of his valuable work worldwide.Andrew has been awarded a prize by the European Process Safety Centre for "extraordinary contribution to process safety", the first time this has been awarded outside of Europe. He also appears in the US Chemical Safety Board film on Texas City and has been invited to appear in a subsequent film.Professor Hopkins poses questions such as:Why was the number of victims so large?Who was blamed for the explosion?What were the real causes?Had lessons been learnt from the earlier incident at Longford?Has anything changed as a result of the Texas City accident?The foreword for the book was written by Carolyn Merritt, chair of the CSB at the time of the accident and subsequent inquiry. ... Read more

Product Description
Austin, Texas, entered the aviation age on October 29, 1911, when Calbraith Perry Rodgers landed his Wright EX Flyer in a vacant field near the present-day intersection of Duval and 45th Streets. Some 3,000 excited people rushed out to see the pilot and his plane, much like the hundreds of thousands who mobbed Charles A. Lindbergh and The Spirit of St. Louis in Paris sixteen years later. Though no one that day in Austin could foresee all the changes that would result from manned flight, people here--as in cities and towns across the United States--realized that a new era was opening, and they greeted it with all-out enthusiasm. This popularly written history tells the story of aviation in Austin from 1911 to the opening of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in 1999. Kenneth Ragsdale covers all the significant developments, beginning with military aviation activities during World War I and continuing through the barnstorming era of the 1920s, the inauguration of airmail service in 1928 and airline service in 1929, and the dedication of the first municipal airport in 1930. He also looks at the University of Texas's role in training pilots during World War II, the growth of commercial and military aviation in the postwar period, and the struggle over airport expansion that occupied the last decades of the twentieth century. Throughout, he shows how aviation and the city grew together and supported each other, which makes the Austin aviation experience a case study of the impact of aviation on urban communities nationwide. (200509) ... Read more

Product Description
Sawmill communities were once the thriving centers of East Texas life. Many sprang up almost overnight in a pine forest clearing, and many disappeared just as quickly after the company "cut out" its last trees. But during their heyday, these company towns made Texas the nation's third-largest lumber producer and created a colorful way of life that lingers in the memories of the remaining former residents and their children and grandchildren. Drawing on oral history, company records, and other archival sources, Sitton and Conrad recreate the lifeways of the sawmill communities. They describe the companies that ran the mills and the different kinds of jobs involved in logging and milling. They depict the usually rough-hewn towns, with their central mill, unpainted houses, company store, and schools, churches, and community centers. And they characterize the lives of the people, from the hard, awesomely dangerous mill work to the dances, picnics, and other recreations that offered welcome diversions. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Logging towns in East Texas
This is a fascinating read and a book with invaluable information. I've read it more than once, which is rare for me. For those who want to know life in the East Texas logging camps, this is the source. Read and share with others!
Lois G. Shrout ... Read more

Product Description
Streetwise Austin Map - Laminated City Center Street Map of Austin, Texas - Folding pocket size travel map

This map covers the following areas:
Main Austin Map 1:30,000
Austin Area Map 1:180,000
Downtown Austin Map 1:10,000

Named after Stephen F. Austin, the father of Texas, this eclectic capital city combines down-home charm with buzzing activity. Also known as the live music capital of the world due to all the music festivals sponsored here, Austin is a happening hip town for visitors and natives alike.

Be on top of the action with a STREETWISE® map of Austin. With it you’ll discover all the cultural sites, as well as Austin’s physical attractions, like the natural pool at Barton Springs, the rolling green of Zilker Park and the nightly flight of over a million bats from beneath Congress Av. Bridge (Q21 on the downtown inset map).

The inset map of downtown Austin shows an orderly grid system, clearly highlighted with hotels, points of interest, parking lots, museums and state government sites.

The Austin Area map will navigate you in and around the city to such places as Austin Bergstrom International Airport and the Colorado River bike trails. From Lake Austin to Lake Travis, the STREETWISE® map of Austin gets you going to explore areas outside the center city.

Our pocket size map of Austin is also laminated for durability and accordion folding for effortless use. The STREETWISE® Austin map is one of many detailed and easy-to-read city street maps designed and published by STREETWISE®. Buy your STREETWISE® Austin map today and you too can navigate Austin, Texas like a native. For a larger selection of our detailed travel maps simply type STREETWISE MAPS into the search bar. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Small Area
I agree with the other reviews that the area covered is a pretty small part of austin.

Great for navigating
This map is not for you if you want detailed street information about every nook and cranny of Austin proper. It is, however, a great "big picture" map that shows all the major roadways (and many, but not all, of the smaller streets). Due to its compact size, it obviously cannot include surrounding areas like Pflugerville, Round Rock, etc.This is a great tool for folks who aren't intimately familiar with the main city area and need to navigate to, say, the Capitol Building or UT. The lamination makes it nice and durable too. I can even use a wax pencil on it to mark places of interest, and then wipe off the marks afterward.

Absolutely, positively the worst Austin map ever
I've lived in Austin for 33 years, and I thought that a small, plastic map would be good if I heard an unfamiliar street name.My idea may be good, but this map is terrible.At best, it shows Central Austin, but calling it an Austin map is wrong.If you know anything about Austin, consider this: It shows nothing north of 45th street and Camp Mabry.On the east side it stops around Pleasant Valley and Berkman.Going south, it stops at Zilker Park.(Almost nothing south of the river is shown.)Going west, it does show Rollingwood and Westlake Hills.The downtown detail map on the back is o.k., but it's already out of date.The "Area Map" on the back only goes to Pflugerville (north), Decker Lake but not Manor (east), the airport (south), and Sunset Valley (west).Don't buy this map!It's worse than the freebies from the hotel or a car rental agency or inside the phone book.

A lifesaver
I moved to the Austin area nearly three years ago and this is the map I came back to over and over again, and I bought a lot of them when we first moved here.It's not detailed enough to help you pinpoint a specific, minor street, but it's great in understanding the overall layout of Austin and the surrounding towns.It can get you downtown from anywhere, it can help you figure ou how to get out of downtown and how to figure out other options when there's a slow-down on the road you're on.I love that it's laminated -- it still looks new after nearly three years. My husband and I fight over which car it gets to live in.Now that we've lived here awhile, it doesn't get used quite as much, but it was INVALUABLE in helping me figure out Austin!I highly recommend it.

I Prefer the Hotel Map
As title said, I prefer using the map I got from the hotel I stayed in than this map.Wish the Professor Pathfinder has published an Austin TX map.. ... Read more

Product Description
Streetwise Houston Map - Laminated City Center Street Map of Houston, Texas - Folding pocket size travel map with integrated metro light rail lines & stations

This map covers the following areas:
Main Houston Map 1:30,000
Downtown Houston Map 1:20,000
Houston Area Map 1:260,000

You probably didn’t know that Houston is the 4th largest city in America. The downside, its the leading city in metropolitan sprawl with high-rise towers and shopping malls spreading out forever over the low flat lands of Southeastern Texas. The upside, Houston has much to offer in terms of world class museums, fine dining, sports teams, parks and a hip party atmosphere.

The STREETWISE® map of Houston is split north to south from front to backside and covers a large swatch of west Houston in detail. Districts like the Galleria are easy to find as well as places like Rice University, Hermann Park, and Reliant Stadium and of course downtown Houston.

Downtown Houston, once the business core, is by day a bustling area filled with high-rise office buildings and hotels. To find your way you’ll need the STREETWISE® map of Houston with its inset of Downtown Houston. Without it you’ll easily get lost looking for the George R Brown Convention Center, Minute Maid Park, or the Toyota Center. There is nothing worse than driving around forever looking for something that is only minutes away. That won't happen provided you have the correct tool, like the STREETWISE® Houston Map.

The Houston Area Map will help you navigate around outlying areas of the city and it will also help you locate Houston’s two airports: George Bush International and William P. Hobby Airport.

Our pocket size map of Houston is laminated for durability and accordion folding for effortless use. The STREETWISE® Houston map is one of many detailed and easy-to-read city street maps designed and published by STREETWISE®. Buy your STREETWISE® Houston map today and you too can navigate Houston, Texas like a native. For a larger selection of our detailed travel maps simply type STREETWISE MAPS into the Amazon search bar. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Still shows and lists Astroworld, closed half a decade ago
So I was new to Houston and bought this map (2008 edition) to get around. I saw this place called Astroworld and Water World, so I drove with my kids to that place. Lo and behold, there was no theme park, just a big lot of grass! This is an unforgivable error -- and the park, closed in 2005 according to wikipedia, is also listed as a point of interest on this map.

Houston Map
This is a very useful map.It is pocket size so you can put it in your pocket or in your purse for easy access.I think this map is so easy to read and shows all the roads and the popular buildings for tourist to visit.I am glad I bought this map.Streetwise maps do an excellent job with getting you around the city.

HOUSTON..WELL CENTRAL HOUSTON ANYWAY
I really like these simple easy to use maps.They are well put together and highly functional.I am very familiar with Houston, but i still carry this map, because sometimes frankly you just what to be sure where something is located.The only draw back to these streetwise maps is that they only highly light the central city, which is fine if that's the only place you'll be driving, but if you need a map of the entire city then this may not be your best bet, but they are great for the most traveled areas of town.Overall, I am a huge fan of these maps. ... Read more

Product Description
Streetwise Dallas Map - Laminated City Center Street Map of Dallas, Texas - Folding pocket size travel map with integrated Dart & Trinity light rail lines & stations

This map covers the following areas:
Main Dallas Map 1:40,000
Dallas Area Map 1;250,000
Downtown Dallas Map 1:15,000

The big D radiates high society polish with Southwestern hospitality. Dallas is a city of contrasts, cosmopolitan and urbane, but also shows its individuality and the steadfast idealism of its Texas heritage.

The STREETWISE® map of Dallas is much like the city. You can pull our boots on in the morning to survey the streets and sites of the city, and then appear in formal dress for dinner. And who says big city centers don’t change?! Dallas completely redeveloped the district around the American Airlines arena a few years ago. No longer just a city sporting hair that is dyed, fried and shoved to the side, Dallas is a sophisticated center of the southwest.

OK, so you are only going to Dallas for a few days on business. The Downtown Dallas map is filled with important business information, like major corporate buildings, hotels, one way streets and a clear exit strategy to move uptown on McKinney Av past Crescent Court for cocktails and dinner. The main Dallas map contains the best graphic rendition of the Dallas Market District of any Dallas map ever made.

The reverse side of the map also features a Dallas Area Map which is designed to help navigate in, out and around the Dallas metropolitan area. This is the Dallas map you’ll need when renting a car to travel to and from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.

Our pocket size map of Dallas is laminated for durability and accordion folding for effortless use. The STREETWISE® Dallas map is one of many detailed and easy-to-read city street maps designed and published by STREETWISE®. Buy your STREETWISE® Dallas map today and you too can navigate Dallas, Texas like a native. For a larger selection of our detailed travel maps simply type STREETWISE MAPS into the Amazon search bar. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

DALLAS
These guides are highly functional, but they are limited to certain area's of the city.In the case of dallas, the map focuses heavily on north dallas, which of course is where most everything is, but if you are looking for something in east dallas or south dallas, or even far north dallas then you won't find it on this map.If however you are looking for something in downtown, or highland park or preston hollow then ur in luck, personally i love these maps and since the part of dallas i travel in is covered on this map, i use it all the time..use your judgement on what you need a map of dallas for, before making a purchase.FYI, these maps are very well constructed and the font is easy to read.

EASY BUT LIMITED
These 3 panel laminated maps by Streetwise are very handy for your vehicle for those times when you want to take a quick glance at a map and either cannot or do not want to fumble with the traditional unfolding maps or thumb through a map book looking for your desired location.However, due to it's compact size, this map is only detailed in the immediate downtown area.The remainder of the map shows major highways in the metropolitan area.So it's great to use to map out highway to highway but not good for use on your pizza delivery job. ... Read more

Product Description
Experience the flavor of the Lone Star State withWhere The Locals Eat Texas Edition: A Guide To Local-FavoriteRestaurants In 101 Texas Cities.Where The Locals Eat TexasEdition is a handy and reliable restaurant guide that isindispensable when you want to find good food in Texas.More than1,000 local-favorite restaurants in 101 Texas cities are included inthe guide.Listings were compiled entirely from the recommendationsof local business and professional people and from local newspaper andmagazine readers' polls -- none of the restaurants in the guide paidto be included.Names, street addresses, and phone numbers are givenfor every restaurant.And, each restaurant is classified under one of75 informative category headings to let you know what sort ofrestaurant it is and what style food it serves.Light and portable,Where The Locals Eat Texas Edition fits easily in a briefcase,knapsack, or purse, so you can take it with you wherever you go inTexas! ... Read more

Product Description
Order your own softcover color reprint of a previously owned high school yearbook. Whether you no longer have your own copy or want to surprise someone with a unique gift, the memories in this yearbook are sure to make someone smile! All the pages and images are reproduced as-is, which means your copy may show handwriting or effects of aging, and that certain pages, images, or other content may be omitted, missing, or obscured. This color print will preserve any images originally printed in color (including the cover), but won't add color to images originally printed in black & white. You can preview the color pages before you buy at www.classmates.com/yearbooks.Don't miss out! Bring home a piece of your history. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more