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9781648433092

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""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.""--Larry R. Faulkner, President Emeritus, University of Texas at Austin, and former President, Houston Endowment--Larry R. Faulkner ""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 his 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.""-- Charles C. Foster, Attorney and Chairman of Foster LLP --Charles C. Foster ""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. In the pages of The Rise of Houston as a Global City, we meet many of these men and women: From Charlotte Allen (who provided the cash to acquire the land for a future metropolis she named Houston) to the great builder Jesse Jones to the millionaires who founded and financed great educational, medical, and cultural institutions to society leaders like Ima Hogg, Lynn Wyatt, and Margaret Alkek Williams, who gave or raised vast sums for the benefit of their fellow Houstonians. Beyond mere money, they had the resolute conviction that anything is possible in the improbable city built on the mushy bayous of southeast Texas. Mr. Connor colorfully captures this story as no one else has.""--Chase Untermeyer, Former State Representative from Houston and Former US ambassador to Qatar--Chase Untermeyer

Author Information

Geoffrey Scott Connor is a National Security Fellow at the Clements Center, University of Texas at Austin. He served as Texas Secretary of State from 2003 to 2005.

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