The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 87, July 1983 - April, 1984 Page: 111
468 p. : ill. (some col.), maps (some col.), ports. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Book Reviews
birds, plants, animals, Indians, explorers, travelers, settlers, urban-
izers, the military, the sick and infirm-it is difficult to think of focal
points of more significance. To make some of these implications
graphically obvious, Brune has provided along with his book a bounti-
ful pocket of nine maps, overlaying physical features with human
activities, which represent in themselves enormous study and labor on
the part of the author.
As the study of springs itself is "a borderline discipline" (p. xvii),
so it is a borderline study between the past and the present. It is of
vital concern to a half-dozen or more academic disciplines, all of them
now to catch new breath by grace of the work under review. Of the
projected two volumes, the first one "covers three-fourths of the state.
The remaining one-fourth will be the subject of Volume II" (p. vi).
After an introduction of forty-odd pages setting forth methodology
and general principles of study, Brune proceeds to describe and dis-
cuss all known springs county by county. The singular attraction of
the body of the work is its happy fusion of personal, documented field
work with a review of pertinent literature, be it general or specialized.
In addition to the numerous black-and-white photos, the volume has
no less than sixteen pages of color plates. The paper is good, the type
large and clear, the binding quite above average; it is altogether a
handsome production by the Fort Worth firm of Branch-Smith, Inc. A
swift comparison with Report 189 seems to indicate that since 1975
Brune has become a cheerful convert to the metric system.
Brune's work, however, is double-edged. Along with sober analysis
comes the voice of a distressed environmentalist who is very much
engagd in his concern for springs and the great natural and cultural
diversity they have traditionally sustained, and who warns of their de-
cline and eventual disappearance. From this perspective the author's
work is, alas, also a primer on the subject of environmental degrada-
tion. Not to be dismissed as mere jeremiads, the writer/scientist's ap-
prehension about the physical decline of more than just Texas, indeed
of our entire planet, is so heavy that he "believes that the human race
is committing suicide, that man cannot control his own destiny, and
that within 500 years he will be extinct, carrying with him most other
life forms on earth" (p. vi).
This reviewer knows thoughtful people who would think that the
last zero qualifies Brune as an incurable optimist.Texas State Historical Association
ANDERS SAUSTRUP
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 87, July 1983 - April, 1984, periodical, 1983/1984; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth117150/m1/131/: accessed April 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.