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Rating: 
Summary: I'd Rather Sleep in Texas
Review: I spent the first 44 years of my life in the Coastal Bend area of Texas (Corpus Christi), and studying the settlement and development of it for the past twenty-five years. So I am intimately familiar with the history of that area, but knew very little about the Rio Grande Valley, only 150 miles away.
Due to the exhaustive research performed by Mary M. McAllen Amberson and her family, my knowledge of the history of the area has been vastly increased. For me, it ties together a number of events in the history of South Texas. I never realized the degree and amount of conflict that occurred in the border area as was documented in this book. It is obvious that the Wild West extended well into the 20th century. The book also provides another view of Richard King and Mifflin Kenedy that is absent from other published works - more detail about their persona and the diversity of their business interests.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book, but due to the long time period in history and large number of people, it was difficult to keep track of the family members. A diagram of the family tree would have aided in keeping track of the many people involved. Since I have traveled throughout the Lower Rio Grande Valley, it would have been interesting to see more maps, particuliarly the current cities and towns overlaying the original Spanish Land Grant boundaries. Ownership of the property within these Spanish Land Grants is still being disputed today, with one of the most notable being the Balli' family claims on Padre Island.
Overall, a very good book for someone interested in the history of the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas and the border areas of Mexico adjacent to that area.
Rating: 
Summary: I Would Rather Sleep in Texas
Review: The book is well written. John B. McAllen is my grandfather. I see no mention of my mother nor her 3 sisters. In order to know all about John B. McAllen I think the author should have included this portion of his life and children in her book. There are many siblings involved who have done very well for themselves.
Rating:
Summary: Accuracy and History Should Not Be Seperated
Review: The central figure in this book, James B. McAllen is my great grandfather. No mention of the four girls he had by Cleofas Guajardo is made in the book. Many exemplary lives came from that relationship. How good is a history book about a namesake when a very important relationship is left out?
Rating:
Summary: I Would Rather Sleep in Texas
Review: This is absolutely a very well written history of the Lower Rio Grande Valley. It depicts the history of the McAllen, Young & Balli Families during this era. This book gives a very good insight of what was going on throughout the lower Rio Grande Valley during this time frame. Mary M. McAllen Amberson along with her father, grandfather and great-grandfather have done an excellent job in preserving the history with all their personal notes with James B. McAllen. I now have a better understanding of the struggles and hardships the people had to endure in order to survive this rugged time. I strongly recommend this book to all people who are interested in learning more about the history of the Lower Rio Grande Valley during their ancestors' time. Hats off to Mary M. McAllen Amberson on a very well written history of her family and the great Lower Rio Grande Valley.Ricardo P. Balli
Rating:
Summary: I Would Rather Sleep in Texas
Review: This is absolutely a very well written history of the Lower Rio Grande Valley. It depicts the history of the McAllen, Young & Balli Families during this era. This book gives a very good insight of what was going on throughout the lower Rio Grande Valley during this time frame. Mary M. McAllen Amberson along with her father, grandfather and great-grandfather have done an excellent job in preserving the history with all their personal notes with James B. McAllen. I now have a better understanding of the struggles and hardships the people had to endure in order to survive this rugged time. I strongly recommend this book to all people who are interested in learning more about the history of the Lower Rio Grande Valley during their ancestors' time. Hats off to Mary M. McAllen Amberson on a very well written history of her family and the great Lower Rio Grande Valley. Ricardo P. Balli
Rating:
Summary: Reads like a great novel, but its true!
Review: This is the best volume on South Texas history ever. Full of first-hand quotes, the lives of the people of this region from 1750 through the early 1900's is witnessed. It should interest people who don't even live in Texas, so much American history is intertwined with this region. Especially great is the civil war section.
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