Of all the election victories out there, here’s the one that moved me the most: 19 African American women ran as Democrats for judgeships, most for positions in Harris County, Texas (Houston). 17 of them won. They ran as a … Continue reading
Tag Archives: Texas
My sweetheart Jim had a conference in Houston. It happens that I was born in that city and raised in a small town just outside it, so when he expressed an interest in seeing where I grew up, I had … Continue reading
I heard part of a piece about Wendell Berry on NPR the other day. It focused on the importance of knowing the place where you’re from. In the piece, Laura Dunn, who recently made a film about Berry (The Seer), … Continue reading
La Desperada by Patricia Burroughs She refused to ask how much longer they would be riding. Instead she chose her words carefully to find out the same information, she hoped, without seeming to complain. “Have you chosen our destination?” He … Continue reading
When I’m asked what ethnic group I belong to, my immediate response is “I’m Irish,” quickly modified by “but I’m also Scottish and English and maybe Dutch.” That’s a pretty common response from white people in the U.S.: we tend … Continue reading
Moving has made me think about the multiple places I consider home. Texas, of course. The whole state, not just Austin (where I went to college and where I live now), Houston (where I was born), or Friendswood (where I … Continue reading
Razzmatazz A Romantic Comedy by Patricia Burroughs “WHAT THE HELL?” Alex shot upright and rubbed his unshaven face. He surveyed the messy bed and did a double take when he saw his friend beside him. Chris rolled over more slowly, … Continue reading
Writer Nancy Jane Moore pursued both the law and martial arts with equal vigor, applying their lessons to many areas of her life. She found that questions of justice, fairness, and equality were extremely important to her. This led to her championing low income housing, food co-ops, and working as a legal editor. As she puts it, she didn’t become rich from the law. However, she is a fourth degree black belt in Aikido, both teaching the art and expanding her own knowledge of it. Here at Book View Cafe we suspect she is secretly a superhero.
Her approach to fiction is equally mind-bending.
Continue readingRazzmatazz by Patricia Burroughs When small town girl Kennie Sue Ledbetter wakes up in a Reno hotel between two guys in rumpled tuxedos, she thinks things can’t get any worse. When she steps on the wedding bouquet and sees the … Continue reading
My father wanted his ashes spread near the little town of Christoval, Texas, where he spent a lot of his childhood. My sister and I went up there a couple of weeks ago to do this final task. I’d never … Continue reading