Cinema Houston: From Nickelodeon to Megaplex
by David Welling

Cinema Houston celebrates a vibrant century of movie theatres and moviegoing in Texas's largest city. Illustrated with more than 200 historical photographs, newspaper clippings, and advertisements, it traces the history of Houston movie theaters from their early twentieth-century beginnings in vaudeville and nickelodeon houses to the opulent downtown theatres built in the 1920s and on to the multicinemas and megaplexes that have come to dominate the movie scene since the late 1960s.

Country Houses of John F. Staub
by Stephen Fox

This ambitious study of Staub's work goes beyond a description of Staub's houses. Fox analyzes the roles of space, structure, and decoration in creating, defining, and maintaining social class structures and expectations and shows how Staub was able to incorporate these elements and understandings into the elegant buildings he designed for his clients. In the process, he contributes greatly to a fuller understanding of Houston's emergence as a premier American city. With color photographs by Richard Cheek.

America's Treasures at Bayou Bend: Celebrating Fifty Years
by Michael K. Brown

This overview of the collection of American decorative arts at Bayou Bend, the former home of Houston philanthropist Ima Hogg, includes an illustrated essay detailing the history of how the collection was formed followed by a brief showcasing of 100 of the collection's masterpieces.

Down in Houston: Bayou City Blues
by Roger Wood

Houston blues was and is the voice of a working-class community, an ongoing conversation about good times and hard times, smokin' Saturday nights and Blue Mondays. Since 1995, Roger Wood and photographer James Fraher have been gathering the story of the blues in Houston. In this book, they draw on dozens of interviews with blues musicians, club owners, audience members, and music producers, as well as dramatic black-and-white photographs of performers and venues, to present a lovingly detailed portrait of the Houston blues scene, past and present.

The Campus Guide: Rice University
by Stephen Fox

This guide takes readers on an insider's tour of Rice University in Houston. It presents an architectural walk of the campus, revealing the stories behind the historic and contemporary buildings, gardens, and public works of art. Rice University's neo-Byzantine campus, created by Cram, Goodhue & Ferguson, also includes modern buildings by James Stirling and Michael Wilford, Ricardo Bofill, Cambridge Seven Associates, John Outram, and Antoine Peacock.

Ephemeral City: Cite Looks at Houston
by Barrie Scardino, William F. Stern and Bruce C. Webb

Since 1982, Cite: The Architectural and Design Review of Houston has explored the nature of Houston's evolution as an urban place by publishing commissioned articles by nationally known writers and architectural historians and high quality photography. This volume brings together 25 exceptional articles from Cite's first 20 years, along with 224 black-and-white photographs, maps, and plans. With a diversity of voices and a selection that includes both narrow and broad topics, the volume constitutes a collage that captures the essence of a remarkable place — inchoate, patchwork, full of youthful vigor, favorable to private enterprise, and one of the world's most fascinating cities.

Houston: The Unknown City, 1836-1946
by Marguerite Johnston

Johnston takes the reader on a fascinating cultural history of Houston's first century, giving the stories behind many of the city's famous names. Pages of photographs of old Houston help bring these stories to life.

Architecture in Texas: 1895-1945
by Jay C. Henry

This book is the first comprehensive survey of Texas architecture of the first half of the 20th century. More than just a catalog of buildings and styles, the book is a social history of Texas architecture. Jay C. Henry discusses and illustrates buildings from around the state, drawing a majority of his examples from the 10 to 12 largest cities and from the work of major architects and firms, including C.H. Page and Brother, Trost and Trost, Lang and Witchell, Sanguinet and Staats, Atlee B. and Robert M. Ayres, David Williams, and O'Neil Ford. Nearly 400 black-and-white photographs complement the text. Written to be accessible to general readers interested in architecture as well as to architectural professionals, this work shows how Texas both participated in and differed from prevailing American architectural traditions.

Texas Houses Built by the Book: The Use of Published Designs, 1850-1925
by Margaret Culbertson

Culbertson gives a history of Texas homes built from published plans, tracing the development of that type of architecture from the mid-19th century through the Victorian era, the heyday of house-plan catalogs, and into the 20th century. The book is an invaluable look not only at this unique and fascinating field, but also at Texas residential architecture in general in the 1800s and early 1900s.

Early Texas Architecture
by Gordon Echols

Gordon Echols traces the development of various styles form the most rudimentary and little-known rural dwellings to the sophisticated Greek Revival governor's mansion in Austin and the Victorian buildings that were made possible by new wealth earned in trading cotton, cattle and petroleum.

Historic Texas Courthouses
by Michael Andrews with photos by Paul Hester and Lisa Hardaway

This handsome catalog of Texas' historic county courthouses, with stunning color photography of each, was written by former U.S. Rep. Mike Andrews, who is a member of GHPA's Advisory Board. GHPA staff shared their architectural and preservation expertise during the editing process. Historic Texas Courthouses is an essential addition to the bookshelf of every fan of Texas history or architecture.

The Courthouses of Texas
by Mavis P. Kelsey and Donald H. Dyal

A county-by-county look at Texas' 254 courthouses, with color photos of each, this is an essential book for those interested in courthouse architecture and an entertaining companion for travels throughout the state.

The Texas Cemeteries: The Resting Places of Famous, Infamous, and Just Plain Interesting Texans
by Bill Harvey

From the simplest slab of weathered stone to the most imposing mausoleum, every marker in a Texas cemetery bears witness to a life that — in ways small or large — helped shape the history and culture of the state. Telling the stories of some of these significant lives is the purpose of this book. Within its pages, you'll meet not only the heroes of the Texas Revolution, for example, but also one of the great African American cowboys of the traildriving era and the first woman in Texas elected to statewide office.

Philip Johnson & Texas
by Frank D. Welch

This remarkable work catalogs Philip Johnson's long list of work in Texas, including landmark projects in Houston such as Pennzoil Place and the University of St. Thomas campus. Illustrated by Paul Hester photographs and with an introduction by Johnson.

The Gates of the Alamo
by Stephen Harrigan

Harrigan retells the story of the Alamo with consummate skill, weaving a wealth of historical detail into a tight, moving human drama. ... (He) has crafted a compulsively readable historical drama on a grand scale, peopled with highly believable frontier personalities — Mexican as well as American — and suffused with period authenticity. (Publishers Weekly)

An original work of high distinction indeed: as fine a historical novel as any within recent memory, and far and away Harrigan's best book yet. (Kirkus)

We have the first great novel of the 21st century. ... Has the potential to join history-based novels such as Gone With the Wind and Lonesome Dove as eternal bestsellers as well as critically acclaimed titles. A stunning literary achievement. (Fort Worth Star-Telegram)

The First Texas News Barons
by Patrick Cox

Newspaper publishers played a crucial role in transforming Texas into a modern state. By promoting expanded industrialization and urbanization, as well as a more modern image of Texas as a southwestern, rather than southern, state, news barons in the early decades of the twentieth century laid the groundwork for the enormous economic growth and social changes that followed World War II.

This book investigates how newspaper owners such as A. H. Belo and George B. Dealey of the Dallas Morning News, Edwin Kiest of the Dallas Times Herald, William P. Hobby and Oveta Culp Hobby of the Houston Post, Jesse H. Jones and Marcellus Foster of the Houston Chronicle, and Amon G. Carter Sr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram paved the way for the modern state of Texas.

Texas Coast
by Joe Nick Patoski and Laurence Parent

This beautiful book combines Laurence Parent's magnificent photographs with Joe Nick Patoski's entertaining text to create a one-of-a-kind portrait of the Texas coast. Parent's images capture Texas beaches, bays, estuaries, and salt marshes from Sabine Pass near the Louisiana border to Boca Chica; Patoski takes you on a verbal tour of the Texas coast, describing the irresistible allure of this undramatic yet somehow unforgettable chain of barrier islands and bays.

The Portable Handbook of Texas
by Roy R. Barkley and Mark F. Odintz

This is a condensation of the six-volume New Handbook of Texas. It features historical information; biographies of 560 men and women who helped shape the state; more than 25 articles on the peoples of Texas; essays on more than 30 topics such as agriculture and health care; and more. This is a must-have for anyone interested in Texas and its history.

If you like the portable version, consider the full New Handbook of Texas.

Black Churches in Texas: A Guide to Historic Congregations
by Clyde McQueen

(Review coming soon.)

Caring for Your Old House: A Guide for Owners and Residents
by Judith L. Kitchen

In this well-illustrated handbook, Judith Kitchen provides comprehensive advice and guidance for old-house owners on researching, repairing and maintaining an old residence to avoid making any irreversible changes to the historic integrity of the house. Potential old-house owners will find valuable recommendations on finding that old home. Included are inspection and maintenance tips with overviews on repairing problems in foundations, roofs, paint, mechanical and plumbing systems and other areas of the house.

Historic Building Façades: The Manual for Maintenance and Rehabilitation
by William G. Foulks

A complete reference manual for building owners, architects and contractors for maintaining and rehabilitation of walls and facades that call for a thorough understanding of the forces that cause deterioration, knowledge of the properties of building materials, up-to-date inspection tools and methods, and a solid command of renovation and repair techniques. With chapters by recognized experts, the book provides state-of-the-art information and methodologies for the inspection, maintenance, and restoration of historic buildings of virtually every period, style, and material.

Historic Preservation Handbook
by J. Kirk Irwin

The author ... attempts to weave the individual details of historic building analysis into the larger fabric of time, place, and form ... He claims the book will help teach the new generation of architectural historians and preservationists how they can "achieve the New Urbanist goal of increasing density by making it both livable and appealing," while at the same time the author explores with the reader the "heart and meaning of preservation in the twenty-first century." Libraries with historic building and architectural history collections will want to add this important work. Most readers using general collections who are interested in historic preservation will find this work a good place to start studying the field. (Ralph Lee Scott)

Illustrated Dictionary of Architectural Preservation
by Ernest Burden

A handy compendium ... hard to put down, and can provide the reader with a comprehensive introduction and review of the field. (American Reference Books Annual)

The unique, visual approach to restoration, convenient A-to-Z organization, and extensive cross-referencing make this must-have volume as easy to use as it is indispensable. Readers will find abundant information and examples on adaptive reuse, the creation of designated historic districts, structural restoration of landmark buildings, and cleaning and preserving great works of architecture.

The Preservation of Historic Architecture: The U.S. Government's Official Guidelines for Preserving Historic Homes

From removing graffiti in Manhattan to rebuilding a hops barn in Oregon, the National Park Service-a part of the Department of the Interior-has faced just about every problem an old structure can encounter. Here for the first time is a collection of their hard-won know-how and official guidelines, written by the top experts in their respective fields of preservation.

Forty-two fully illustrated chapters cover all aspects of preservation, from repairing historic materials to restoring vintage signs.

Preserving the World's Great Cities: The Destruction and Renewal of the Historic Metropolis
by Anthony Max Tung

Tung, a former New York City Landmarks Preservation Commissioner, has written an innovative historical and theoretical study of architectural and cultural preservation efforts in 20 cities across the world. Tung visited each of the 20 sites himself and relies on exhaustive archival research. He presents difficult problems fairly such as whether the Elgin Marbles should be returned to Greece despite Athenian pollution, the battle over air rights in Manhattan, and whether the reconstruction of Warsaw has destroyed the history of its destruction during the war always attempting to find a solution that relies on common sense, historical integrity and balancing practical needs with preserving heritage. This is an important contribution not only to the literature of urban studies and city planning, but to architectural history and sociology.

Repairing Old and Historic Windows: A Manual for Architects and Homeowners
from the New York Landmarks Conservancy

Written for homeowners, architects, builders, engineers, and preservationists, Repairing Old and Historic Windows is the complete and authoritative guide to window maintenance and repair. Chapters focus on window problems, including deterioration, weather damage, paint problems, and condensation; window maintenance, including cleaning, weatherstripping, and installing shutters; and window replacement, including design, fabrication, and installation. The complete primer on window repair and maintenance.

Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes
by George Nash

For those who love to live in old houses or want to invest in one, this completely revised and updated book leaves no stone unturned. From evaluating a property to making foundation repairs to adding on a porch, it's a comprehensive guide to every aspect of making renovations and repairs — whether you already live in, or are contemplating buying, an older home. Over 450 color photos and drawings are featured.

A Richer Heritage: Historic Preservation in the Twenty-First Century
by Robert E. Stipe

Surveying the past, present, and future of historic preservation in America, this book features fifteen essays by some of the most important voices in the field. Contributors include preservationists, local-government citizen activists, architects, landscape architects, environmentalists, an archaeologist, a real-estate developer, historians, a Native American tribal leader, an ethnologist, and lawyers. A Richer Heritage is an essential, thought-provoking guide for professionals as well as administrators, volunteers, and policymakers involved in preservation efforts.

Bungalow Nation
by Diane Maddex

Built mostly during the first quarter of the 20th century, bungalows have been experiencing a kind of renaissance amongst today's homeowners-especially the first-timers. In this celebration of the architectural form, Maddex visits 75 bungalows throughout the country, including L.A., Seattle, Chicago and D.C. Hers is a warmly told history which guides the reader from neighborhood to neighborhood and introduces them to the bungalow's many architectural styles, from Federal to Arts & Crafts to Spanish. Beautiful photos enable the reader to fully experience the quaint charm of the bungalow exterior and the warmth of the its wood-detailed interiors and light-filled kitchen nooks. (Publishers Weekly)

The Elements of Style: A Practical Encyclopedia Of Interior Architectural Details from 1485 to the Present
Stephen Calloway and Elizabeth Cromley, editors

This magnificent volume covers more than 500 years of architectural styles from Tudor to Post-Modern using more than 3,000 drawings and engravings and 1,400 photographs. Compiled by a team of experts headed by Stephen Calloway and Elizabeth Cromley, The Elements of Style is the first book on architectural styles that is comprehensive, incredibly thorough, and accessible in its presentation of individual details.

A Field Guide to American Houses
by Virginia and Lee McAlester

The Field Guide offers a chronological, style-by-style look at American domestic architecture, identifying key features of styles and giving plenty of examples of each. It's an invaluable resource for the amateur or the professional (and a great addition to the libraries of our Walking Tours faithful).

Stories in Stone: A Field Guide to Cemetery Symbolism and Iconography
by Douglas Keister

Did you know that the human foot symbolizes humility and service since it consistently touches the earth? Or the humble sheaf of wheat — while it is often used to denote someone who has lived a long and fruitful life, do you know other meanings it might carry?

Stories in Stone provides history along with images of a wide variety of common and not-so-common cemetery symbols, and offers an in-depth examination of stone relics and the personal and intimate details they display-flora and fauna, religious icons, society symbols, and final impressions of how the deceased wished to be remembered. Keister has created a practical field guide that is compact and portable, perfect for those interested in family histories and genealogical research, and is the only book of its kind that unlocks the language of symbols in a comprehensive and easy-to-understand manner.

How Buildings Learn: What Happens After They're Built
by Stewart Brand

Brand splices a conversational text with hundreds of extensively captioned photographs and drawings juxtaposing buildings that age well with those that age poorly. He buttresses his critique with insights gleaned from facilities managers, planners, preservationists, building historians and futurists. This informative, innovative handbook sets forth a strategy for constructing adaptive buildings that incorporates a conservationist approach to design, use of traditional materials, attention to local vernacular styles and budgeting to allow for continuous adjustment and maintenance. (Publishers Weekly)

The International Book of Lofts
by Suzanne Slesin, Stafford Cliff and Daniel Rozensztroch

Not only does The International Book of Lofts trace the rise of lofts — from practical workshops-cum-living spaces for artisans and artists to the self-important style statements of writers, fashion designers, and accountants — it is also a photographic compendium of solutions to the antagonistic problems of light, space, and privacy. Ranging widely from city to city, from minimalist temple to faux-Medici palazzo, the authors even find room to consider those purpose-built houses and apartments that borrow from the loft aesthetic. (Simon Ings, Amazon.co.uk)

A Visual Dictionary of Architecture
by Francis D.K. Ching

A Visual Dictionary of Architecture is a remarkable, one-of-a-kind compendium which uses a combination of textual definitions and hundreds of superb line drawings to illuminate a comprehensive body of essential terms in architecture, including important interrelationships between building components. Grouped by themes ... all terms have their visual complement and can be readily accessed in a number of different ways. ... An authoritative source of information for anyone tracking down an elusive word, and a delight for simple armchair browsing. (Midwest Book Review)

What Style Is It?: A Guide to American Architecture
by John C. Poppeliers, S. Allen Chambers and Nancy B. Schwartz

Designed for easy identification of buildings on the road or at home, What Style Is It? gives a unique overview of America's architectural styles. Individual chapters on 22 of the most important styles provide a concise look at the history and appearance of each.

If you're confused by the differences between Stick and Shingle, or Queen Anne and Italianate, you may need What Style Is It?, a picture-and-prose handbook (that) strips away the mysteries of architectural nomenclature. (Chicago Tribune)

This slim, pocket-sized guide, with its many photographs and illustrations, should be of value to anyone interested in identifying and enjoying the architectural assets of a building. … What Style Is It? concisely gives the details and design features needed to identify a building's style. (The New York Times)