What do you know about Texas?

Quick! What is the Texas state insect? The official large mammal? What color is the Texas state tartan? What is the origin of the name of the Lavaca River?

The answers to these and many other questions regarding "all things Texan" can be found in the latest edition of the Texas Almanac. The Texas Almanac has a long and interesting history. Now in its 65th edition, the Almanac was first published in 1857 and has been regularly issued annually or biennially with few interruptions to the present day. This new edition of the Texas Almanac is the first one to be published by the Texas State Historical Association. Editor Elizabeth Cruce Alvarez states in the Dallas Morning News, "This edition of the Texas Almanac is the most comprehensive and colorful edition yet." Every library, home or office should have a copy.

Had I known about the pronunciation guide in the Texas Almanac when I first moved to San Antonio back in the early 1960's I wouldn't have been so confused about the name of the county in which I resided. I kept reading about Bexar County and never related it to the county name I was hearing on the news. Bexar, for the new-to-Texas reader, is pronounced BA ar, not BEX ar.

You can read more about the Texas Almanac on their Web site (http://www.texasalmanac.com/) or in the Dallas Morning News. Better yet, stop by the Richland College Library reference desk and have fun browsing the beautiful new edition.