Cutrer's book, The English Texans, is the only book in print that concentrates solely on the important contribution of English migrants to Texas. This text is filled with pictures, diagrams, journal extracts, and photos but is sorely lacking in depth and analysis. Some interesting English contributions include the funding of the sprawling XIT ranch (purchased shadily from the state "public" lands since Texas desperately wanted the money for a gigantic capital building), the novelist Amelia Barr who wrote Remember the Alamo (and tens of other novels), and David Ingram the first European to describe Texas who trekked (most likely) from Mexico through Texas up the Atlantic coast in 1568 after being stranded during a John Hawkins slave selling expedition that was ambushed by the Spanish. Amelia Barr is the highlight of the text, however, an entire book should be devoted to this fascinating woman who became a prolific author after the death of 6 of her 8 children and her husband. I found the description of the irrational leaders of the colony of Kent Texas very interesting (I had never read about it before) but again, it was hardly more than two paragraphs. All in all, this is a cursory study on a neglected topic of Texan history. Since it is the only book out there on the subject it deserves 4 stars and is a worthwhile buy. Hopefully someone who sees the deficiencies will take it upon himself or herself to write a more in depth and analytical book about the English in Texas.
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