Going Back to Galveston: Nature, Funk, and Fantasy in a Favorite Place - Softcover

M. Jimmie Killingsworth

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1603442944 ISBN 13: 9781603442947

Publisher: Texas A&M University Press, 2011

Synopsis

In this witty, thoughtful, and clear-eyed look at a place that has engaged the imaginations and energies of generations of Galvestonians, Texans, and others, writer M. Jimmie Killingsworth and photographer Geoff Winningham reflect on the various Galvestons - virtual and real, natural and artificial - that compete and overlap to create a location, a destination, and the defining experiences associated with 'going to Galveston.'<BR> From the tepid, still waters and steamy beaches of the Texas Gulf Coast to the computerized, air-conditioned seductions of places like Moody Gardens and the Rainforest Café, Galveston offers a wide array of opportunities for observation of the frequently ironic interplay of human and natural history. Killingsworth's affectionate, wry prose and Winningham's distinctive, surprising images offer a unique tribute to Galveston's past, present, and future: a barrier island that once hosted native peoples, shipwrecked Spaniards, and buccaneers; a birding hotspot that draws nature watchers from all over the world to its estuarine and bay habitats; a hurricane-buffeted city built for tourism, with a storied - sometimes shady - nightlife, a restored historic downtown district, and a trucked-in beach.<BR> <I>Going Back to Galveston</I> is a deeply personal meditation on why and how people relate to the places they love. With Killingsworth and Winningham as your guides, explore the multisensory realities: bays and beaches, birding and fishing; grand hotels and Victorian mansions alongside tumbledown docks and sleazy bars; glitzy, modern palaces of recreation and posh eateries competing with fast-food joints and vendors of tourist trinkets. <I>Going Back to Galveston</I> is an excursion you can carry in your hand - one you'll want to take again and again.

About this title

Review:

"Killingsworth writes with verve about the distinctive character of Galveston...with memorable images by top Texas photographer Geoff Winningham."--Steve Bennett, Houston Chronicle

-- (12/01/2011)

"Galveston, a place where "metal goes to rust," has its grip on the author, who identifies with the city through his outings. By the end of hist story, he openly admits to knocking down mud nests of swallows, while islanders and swallows consistently rebuild despite demolition. Islanders rebuild on the foundation of Galveston spirit, embodied by its nature, history, and fantasy. Geoff Winningham's photography enhances the beauty of Killingsworth's connection with Galveston."--Tiffany Anderson, Texas Books in Review

-- (06/14/2012)

"I have been going to Galveston all my life, but I haven't been back since Ike. Maybe now I will."--Glenn Dromgoole, Texas book and author reviewer for the San Angelo Standard-Times

-- (10/06/2011)

"Jimmie Killingsowrth has collaborated with noted Texas photographer Geoff Winningham to produce Going Back to Galveton: Nature, Funk and Fantasy in a Favorite Place, new from Texas A&M University Press. Says Jimmie: "Musing on the distinctive character of Galveston-the changeable Gulf Coat shoreline, the grand hotels, the funky bars and tourist attractions-- Going back to Galveston ultimately reflects on how people relate to their favorite places and how nature constrains our ambitions and our fantasies about who we are and where we live."--Texas Institute of Letters and Newsletters

--Texas Institute of Letters and Newsletters

About the Author:

M. JIMMIE KILLINGSWORTH is professor of English at Texas A&M University. An award-winning author, nature writer, and Texas Master Naturalist, Killingsworth’s books include Reflections of the Brazos Valley (with D. Gentry Steele, Texas A&M University Press, 2007). GEOFF WINNINGHAM’s photographs have appeared in the Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, and the major art museums of Texas. A professor of visual arts at Rice University, Winningham is the author of Traveling the Shore of the Spanish Sea (Texas A&M University Press, 2009).

About this edition

• Publisher: Texas A&M University Press
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 1603442944
• ISBN 13: 9781603442947
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 132