Review by Choice Review
While most Texans were celebrating their state's sesquicentennial, Ragsdale was preparing to write his history of the state's last major celebration, the Texas Centennial of 1936. Many books of this genre tend toward uncritical celebrations of essentially local events. Ragsdale, both through his extensive research efforts and his attempt to explain the political struggles that lay behind the centennial celebration, provides a work that is more than just a Chamber of Commerce promotional piece. Ragsdale based this study largely on interviews that he conducted over a five-year period; he also consulted newspapers and manuscript collections. The author is at his best when he delves into the initial organization of the centennial, and especially when he explores the political manipulations that led to the decision to locate the major centennial events in Dallas. On the other hand, his claim that the centennial led to the discovery of Texas by the rest of America is clearly an exaggeration, and his almost total focus on Dallas neglects centennial events staged elsewhere in the state. Despite these minor flaws, this is a sound book that will be especially appreciated by readers interested in the history of American fairs and expositions.-C.D. Wintz, Texas Southern University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
