New Release

Geoffrey Connor's The Rise of Houston as a Global City does much to explain Houston's uniqueness among major American cities. Other places may boast a longer history, a more picturesque location, or a more pleasing climate, but from the beginning Houston has had a dynamic, optimistic spirit. What else can explain its rise from a muddy mess of shacks and tents in the 1830s to its current glittering prominence? In his highly readable account, Mr. Connor makes the all-essential point that Houston's growth was driven by its private sector and especially by a remarkable number of far-seeing and community-minded individuals. Beyond mere money, they had the resolute conviction that anything is possible in the improbable city built on the mushy bayous of southeast Texas.

Geoffrey Connor, a former Texas secretary of state holding a doctorate in history, has told the story of Houston professionally and compellingly. He focuses on how the city attained its undeniable international standing and influence. Rather than presenting the whole story linearly, Connor develops individual histories of the pillars of Houston's international role: the development of its port, its inexorable concentration of leadership in the oil and gas industry, its rise as a global center of medical treatment and research, and its establishment as a focal point of manned space missions and related technology. Connor has created an interesting, detailed, authoritative account concerning one of the world's most fascinating places.

Geoff's book The Rise of Houston as a Global City is a must-read as Houston has risen to be not only one of the largest cities in the United States but one competing to be one of the leading international cities of the world. It is compelling telling of that rise that is equally worthwhile for newcomers as well as for long-time Houstonians, who will find his reporting on our history, institutions, and people to be both an informative and entertaining read.