In 1887 a Boston physician comes to Texas for some bird hunting for ornithological purposes. He finds the perfect guide in John M. Priour, who leads his Yankee friend on a 400-mile trek through bramble, bog, forest, mud, and more mud. When he returns to Boston, Dr. Peirce details his misadventures in Texas.

The author uses letters, journals, and travel accounts to show the early attitudes toward the uses of indigenous birds and mammals of Texas. Surviving on nature's bounty and remorselessly exterminating her threats--wolves, cougars, and other wily critters--settlers exploited Texas' pristine fecundity. Some species benefited from disturbed environments; others were unable to adjust to human presence and disappeared. By the 1880s concern about the diminishing numbers of many preferred species led to enactment of game laws and other efforts to protect and manage wildlife. Today, the author argues, habitat change is the most pressing issue confronting conservationists.

Texas Ranger Brody Calhoun is with his parents in west Texas when an unexpected attack injures the brother of Rebecca Morgan, Brody's high school sweetheart. The local sheriff, a good friend, asks for Brody's help. At first, it seems like an open-and-shut case. As Brody digs deeper, he realizes the attack may be related to an organized crime trial Rebecca will be overseeing. With Rebecca's help, he compiles evidence involving cattle rustling, bribery, and dirty payoffs that shatter the entire community and put Rebecca directly in the line of fire. Brody expects to protect her. What he never expects is to fall for Rebecca all over again, or for a murder to throw the case wide open. Is Brody's faith strong enough to withstand not only deep-rooted corruption and cattle rustling, but also love?

Grape Man of Texas is the first biography of Thomas Volney Munson (1843-1913), the internationally recognized horticulturist who developed over 300 new varieties of grapes, some of which are still grown today on almost every continent. He is perhaps best known for his work in fighting the phylloxera epidemic of the late nineteenth century, which nearly destroyed the world's vineyards. His solution—grafting vinifera onto certain resistant native rootstocks from Texas—earned him the Chevalier du Merite Agricole in the French Legion of Honor and numerous accolades. This second edition introduces new insights into the phylloxera period, Munson's many papers and publications, and his far-sighted grasp of the needs of twentieth century agriculture and transportation. It details the continuing influence of both his research and his hybrid grapes on modern viticulture and new varieties of vitis that have been bred from them around the world.

This bundle contains Saving Hope, Shattered Silence, Scorned Justice. Saving Hope When a teenager goes missing from the Beacon of Hope School, Texas Ranger Wyatt Sheridan and school director Kate Winslow are forced into a dangerous struggle against a human trafficking organization. But the battle brings dire consequences as Wyatt's daughter is terrorized and Kate is kidnapped. Now it's personal, and Wyatt finds both his faith and investigative skills challenged as he fights to discover the mastermind behind the ring before evil destroys everyone he loves. Shattered Silence A serial killer is targeting illegal aliens in southern Texas. Texas Ranger Cody Jackson is paired with a local police officer, Liliana Rodriguez, to investigate the murders. As Cody and Liliana race to discover who is behind the murders and bring peace to the area, what they uncover isn’t what they expected. Will Cody and Liliana’s faith and love be strong enough to survive the storm of violence? Scorned Justice Texas Ranger Brody Calhoun is with his parents in west Texas when an unexpected attack injures the brother of Rebecca Morgan, Brody's high school sweetheart. The local sheriff, a good friend, asks for Brody’s help. At first, it seems like an open-and-shut case. But as Brody digs deeper, he realizes the attack may be related to an organized crime trial Rebecca will be overseeing... one that puts Rebecca directly in the line of fire. Brody expects to protect her. But he never expects to fall for Rebecca all over again.

A dazzling collection of interviews with heroic and notorious men of the Lone Star state.