Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Sample Book Insights: #1 The image of Texas is dominated by the Cowboy, the Rancher, and the Oilman, who are typically White men. What this means for everyone who lives in Texas and is not a White man is part of what I hope to explore in the essays of this book. #2 The Big Thicket, an area in eastern Texas, is home to 75 percent of North America's bird species. It is also the home of the Rancher, the Cowboy, and the Oilman, figures that have been stereotyped as being from west Texas. #3 The film, Giant, and other defining depictions of Texas, fail to mention the influence of the world that the plantation owner created. He resided in what became the populous east, developed by the man known as the Father of Texas, Stephen F. Austin. #4 After the Texas War for independence from Mexico in 1836, the right to enslave was secured, and White settlers poured into the new republic. Texas as its own country lasted only a decade, beset by poor leadership, empty coffers, and conflicts with Mexico.