First published 1998
Jan Jarboe Russell examines how San Antonio built its identity through stories rather than just stone and mortar. The award-winning journalist argues that narratives shape cities as powerfully as physical construction. Russell weaves together folk legends like La Llorona, the river's old woman, to show how enchantment flows through the city's everyday life. She traces how the San Antonio River serves as a quiet witness to the city's long history and future potential. Russell presents San Antonio as an urban center that retains small village innocence despite becoming America's eighth-largest city. The book demonstrates how the city stands on diverse foundations built from brick, stone, and words. Russell concludes that San Antonio remains authentic because it has preserved its magic while growing into a major metropolitan area.
Genres: history, american, non-fiction, 21st-century, cultural, cities, cultural-studies, american-history
Vibes: intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: narrative-nonfiction
Setting: San Antonio
Period: 21st-century
206 pages · Hardcover · Towery Pub