Deep in the Heart of San Antonio: Land and Life in South Texas

by Char Miller

Char Miller's collection of essays provides an insightful survey of San Antonio and South Texas. The essays are grouped into six thematic an overview; natural and environmental history; water issues; urban development; politics; and the city's future. Miller describes the First Friday Art Walks in Southtown, where the promenade reenacts the pedestrian traffic envisioned by the San Antonio founders when they planned the city around a central square and cathedral. He recreates the history behind the Alamo Quarry, when the upscale shopping center was a cement factory and self-contained community. Ranging further afield, he recounts how the Aplomado Falcon made a come-back in the Rio Grande Valley, and how the river in the same valley has fared in water wars between the United States and Mexico. In the four essays devoted to water in San Antonio, Miller subtly and successfully portrays how water has shaped the region's demographic and political realities.

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Lindsey]

This book consists of a series of essays that reflect on South Texas water, environment, politics, and development. The book calls into question inequities in distribution of resources and protection from natural disasters, San Antonio’s focus on development and resource extraction over conservation and long term planning, and the detrimental social effects of the city’s reliance on tourism. While this doesn’t provide