The nineteenth-century "cult of curability" engendered the optimistic belief that mental illness could be cured under ideal conditions -- removal from the stresses of everyday life to asylum, a pleasant, well-regulated environment where healthy meals, daily exercise, and social contact were the norm. This utopian view led to the reform and establishment of lunatic asylums throughout the United States. The Texas State Lunatic Asylum (later called the...

Author David La Vere offers a complete chronological and cultural history of Texas Indians from twelve thousand years ago to the present day. He presents a unique view of their cultural history before and after European arrival, examining Indian interactions-both peaceful and violent-with Europeans, Mexicans, Texans, and Americans.

Whether scaling the seemingly insurmountable cliffs of Pointe du Hoc with his first-wave assault troops during the Normandy invasion, restoring integrity to the Texas Land Office, or overseeing transitions in an academic institution with hallowed traditions during a time of contentious cultural change, James Earl Rudder (1910-1970) forged a legacy of wartime gallantry and peacetime leadership that commands continuing respect. This book pays tribute...