A Hundred Years of Texas Waterfowl Hunting: The Decoys, Guides, Clubs, and Places, 1870s to 1970s
Book about waterfowl hunting on the Texas Coast starting in the later 1800's and running through the 1970's and 1980's. Has been a really good read for me personally and it really gives a good picture of the changes the coastline has seen. Some of the club shoots they talk about are nearly unbelievable to me to imagine.
Texas Market Hunting: Stories of Waterfowl, Game Laws, and Outlaws
This book is about the market hunting industry in Texas, primarily along the coastal regions, at the turn of the 20th century. It is a fascinating read (I need to read it again, it's been a while) and you can get a really good understanding of why we have some of the game laws in place today that we have.
Civil War Blockade Running on the Texas Coast
Need to read it, I've only skimmed it, but it is about the blockade runners and boats used along the Texas coast during the War of Northern Aggression. One of those things that you really don't learn about at all in school.
The Hawkins Ranch in Texas: From Plantation Times to the Present
The Hawkins Ranch is a large ranch in Matagorda County that spans from Lake Austin to Sargent along the coast. Lots of history of coastal Texas from antebellum times through modern times.
Sandbars and Sternwheelers: Steam Navigation on the Brazos
Pretty much as it sounds, I haven't read this one yet but it's on the list of books I have that I need to read. Starts off in the early settlements of Texas and talks about the various navigation along the Brazos through history.
Empire of the Summer Moon: Quanah Parker and the Rise and Fall of the Comanches, the Most Powerful Indian Tribe in American History
I still haven't read this one, but everybody I know that has talks about how it is just an awesome read. Gives a really good perspective on the Comanche Nation and just how brutal they were when the frontier was moving westward through Texas.
Lost Plantations of the South
Not 100% Texas related, but it talks about some of the long gone plantations along the coastal and east Texas areas prior to the war.
Texas Iliad
I haven't read this one, but my dad read it before he passed and really enjoyed it. Gives a really solid account of the Texas Revolution including tactics used on both sides, historical sources and goes into some of the legends and myths surrounding some of the main characters that led the fight. On my list of needing to read.
Hood's Texas Brigade: Its Marches Its Battles Its Achievements
This is about General Hood, the 4th Texas Infantry and his career and campaign throughout the war. Dad really enjoyed this book, I'll get around to reading it one of these days as well.
Ghosts Along the Brazos
A hometown required read where I grew up, talks about some of the ghost stories from the lower Brazos area that originated back to Austin's 300 and through the 1800's. Really entertaining read for me personally - Britt Bailey, Lady in the Gray Taffeta Dress, Fiddler on the Brazos, etc.
Kings of Texas
If you like the King Ranch and want to get into the history of Capt. Richard King, this is a good book to read. I think the author may have even been granted some limited access to the King Archives. Talks about Capt. King from his childhood through his stint as a steamboat pilot on the Rio Grande through his acquisition (some may have been less than perfectly legal) of the King Ranch, the Klebergs and briefly talks about the ranch's transition into modern times.
Historic Battleship Texas: The Last Dreadnought
BB-35 history, it really is amazing at what the Battleship Texas was in it's heyday and how much history her hull carries.
Near anything by McMurtry as previously stated.
