Kent Rylander: 2 books

Whether it's the sudden, plunging dives of Brown Pelicans, the singing and aerial displays of Northern Mockingbirds, or the communal nesting of Purple Martins, innate and learned behaviors are some of the most fascinating things to observe in Texas birds. Even casual birdwatchers eventually ask, "why...

A touching story about a blind jazz trumpeter and how she responds to her bullying father, a twisted preacher, and a woman tormented by “Furies.” She is captivated by simple pleasures, like feeling the shape and texture of leaves and listening to the pure tones of a trumpet played in the forest....