Girls on the Western Frontier were expected to care for younger children, cook and clean, wash clothes, milk cows, tend gardens, and round up wandering herds in a harsh and unfamiliar landscape. Their stories, often taken from their first-hand accounts of trips on Western trails and journals kept during their few free hours, have been inspiring generations of young women and entertaining readers of all ages. Amazing Texas Girls tells the stories of notable girls who spent most or all of their childhood in Texas And shaped the history of the Lone Star State. Although from different cultures, economic status, education, and notoriety, all displayed an indomitable Texas spirit. Each chapter tells the story of a girl's life (17 years old or younger), offering complete biographical information, but focusing on the girl's remarkable childhood. Readers will never forget these stories of real girls who conquered the West in their own style.

What is it that distinguishes Texas women—the famous Yellow Rose and her descendants? Is it that combination of graciousness and grit that we revere in First Ladies Laura Bush and Lady Bird Johnson? The rapier-sharp wit that Ann Richards and Molly Ivins used to skewer the good ole boy establishment? The moral righteousness with which Barbara Jordan defended the US constitution? An unnatural fondness for Dr Pepper and queso? In her inimitable style, Sarah Bird pays tribute to the Texas Woman in all her glory and all her contradictions. She humorously recalls her own early bewildered attempts to understand Lone Star gals, from the big-haired, perfectly made-up ladies at the Hyde Park Beauty Salon to her intellectual, quinoa-eating roommates at Seneca House Co-op for Graduate Women. After decades of observing Texas women, Bird knows the species as few others do. A Love Letter to Texas Women is a must-have guide for newcomers to the state and the ideal gift to tell any Yellow Rose how special she is.

During the years 1880 to 1940, the glory days of the American circus, a third to a half of the cast members were women--a large group of very visible American workers whose story needs telling. This book, using sources such as diaries, autobiographies, newspaper accounts, films, posters, and route books, first considers the popular media's presentation of these performers as unnatural and scandalous--as well as romantic and thrilling. Next are the stories told by circus women, which contradict and complicate other versions of their lives. Across America in those years an array of acts featured women, such as tableaux, freak shows, girlie shows, tiger acts, and aerial performances, all involving special skills and all detailed here. The book offers a unique and fascinating view of not just the circus but of what it meant to be an American woman at work.

Among the many difficulties the newly formed Confederate States of America endured in the summer of 1861 was the failure of its post office department to provide sufficient numbers of that item most crucial to its service: the postage stamp. Faced with the resulting din of customer complaints, a handful of industrious Texas postmasters solved the problem by simply making their own homemade stamps. In this thoroughly researched history of these rare and highly coveted stamps, The Great Texas Stamp Collection traces their journey from creation through their rediscovery years later by local, and then international, stamp collectors—a journey that culminated in the sale of a few pieces at a recent auction in New York that fetched more than $250,000. Weaving the larger contexts of Texas and U.S. postal history together with individual tales of greed, intrigue, forgery, and discovery, Deaton's book is rich with characters from European royalty to early stamp dealers to common criminals, while also providing detailed examinations of the stamps themselves, including a complete census of the stamps now known as the Texas Confederate Postmasters' Provisionals. Appealing at once to devoted philatelists, Texas and U.S. history buffs, and amateur collectors of all kinds, The Great Texas Stamp Collection offers a unique vantage point from which to view our history as well as the very nature of collecting.

What would one call taking teens with no evident running talent and putting them through breakneck training combined with mantras from the rock n' roll, techniques from Kenya, philosophy from Australia and turning them champions? Is it revolutionary? Or just plain crazy?Bill Aris has heard both, but one thing is indisputable. Everything Aris does with his runners—male and female—is new and extraordinary, and he has created a new American running dynasty. The runners of Fayetteville-Manlius High School, or F-M, have won the last nine out of ten national championships and have the best cumulative record in cross country history. F-M's domination has shocked the sport for its defiance of accepted running principles and limitations. One year, the girls defeated the 2nd-place team in the country by an average of 59 seconds per girl in a 5k race. Another year, the F-M girls’ ran faster than their Kenyan counterparts, who had come to Oregon as a showcase. Across the country, top coaches all whisper, “How do they do it?”From adopting long-forgotten Spartan creeds to focusing on teenaged developmental psychology and gender-blindness in training, The Running Revolutionaries is a a must read for millions of runners and the millions more who strive for better performance.

The Amazing Story of One Faithful Man...One Extraordinary Vision... One Unstoppable Movement. An unforgettable chronicle of courage, determination, faith, and humility, Amazing Faith is the exclusive and inspiring account of how Dr. Bill Bright, founder and president of Campus Crusade for Christ International, stepped out in simple, unwavering obedience to God. Readers will delight in the extraordinary story of how an obedient Oklahoman left the ranch at God's urging, and how that obedience opened the door to reaching literally millions of lives with the message of Christ's love and the coming Kingdom. From Bright's formative years in the Midwest to the lonely struggles and all-too-human foibles of his early ministry...the founding of the unparalleled Campus Crusade movement to the explosive global outreaches of the new millennium...this authorized, behind-the-scenes biography leaves no stone unturned in its examination of a humble life remarkably used by God-a life which, by God's power, has made an impact on three billion souls. Written by a retired investigative reporter who has closely followed the life and ministry of Dr. Bright for more than a decade, and with a foreword by Dr. Billy Graham, Amazing Faith uncovers the calling, the passion, the strategic thinking, the sacrifice, and the astounding impact of one man committed to bold evangelism, disciple-ship, and the fulfillment of the Great Commission in his lifetime. "He's just the kind of man I had in mind when I started the program twenty-five years ago because he's an example to everybody of all religions that it's possible to have progress in religion." -Sir John Templeton, founder of the Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion, which Dr. Bill Bright was awarded in 1996. He donated the $1 million honorarium to support a national movement of prayer and fasting.

You've heard it all before: Get good grades. Keep your room clean. Wear the right clothes. Try new extracurricular activities. And why don't you have a boyfriend? All these demands can be mind-boggling! What's a girl to do? Girls Inc. Presents: You're Amazing! is a guide to help you deal with the amount of pressure you endure to be "perfect." In this fun and enthusiastic, not-your-mother's book, you'll get advice on not-so-easy topics, including how to: Deal with stereotypes and cliques Figure out the best way to balance school and a social life Navigate the crushes and dating world Find a place in your family Packed with guidance from older teens, female role models, and activities from Girls Inc., this fun to read book is truly a guide to being your very best-and happiest-self.

At twenty-seven years old, Robin Silbergleid decided to become a single mother. Not as a backup or “Plan B,” but as a first choice. In her memoir Texas Girl, she raises fundamental questions about the nature of family and maternity at the turn of the twenty-first century. At a moment when SMCs grace the covers of magazines and Hollywood films, Texas Girl adds the perspective of someone who boldly side-steps the social expectation for a woman to take a life-partner before she has a child. Beginning with a metaphorical conception, Texas Girl charts a long four-year journey, including infertility, miscarriage, and high-risk pregnancy, traveling from Indiana to Texas and back to the snowy north. In this compelling coming-of-age narrative, Silbergleid explores the notion of the chosen family, as close female friends provide perspective, support, and comic relief along the way. A must-read for anyone contemplating single motherhood, this bitingly honest memoir will resonate with anyone concerned with the vital feminist issue of what reproductive choice really means and the obstacles we face in pursuit of it.

From the author of "I Grew Up to be President" comes an exciting new book that explores fifty influential and inspirational American women who changed the world. Women have always played an important role in the history of the United States. But before they were women, they were regular girls just like anyone else. So how did these seemingly ordinary girls grow up to be such extradorinary women?In WOMEN WHO CHANGED THE WORLD, you'll meet fifty of the most influential and inspirational American women who had a lasting impact on our nation and the world. Starting with some of America's "Founding Mothers" like Pocahontas and Abigail Adams, and continuing up to the present day with game changers like Hillary Clinton, Oprah, and Misty Copeland, the book features a unique and diverse cast from all walks of life. With a mix of photographs and quirky illustrations, Women Who Changed the World is a fun and exciting read that will inspire future generations of leaders for years to come!