"Texan Crucible successfully undertakes an ambitious aim: examining the interactions of the leading Texas ethnic groupsIrish, Germans, Czechs, and Mexicanswith the dominant white Anglo society and in context with one another. Barber covers over a century of these groups' political and social histories, but the book's other significant contribution is its study of identity, both self-identity and the perception of others, in greater detail and with greater sophistication than has been done before. The ensuing insights into histories of immigration and race in Texas are complemented by a lively writing style and a good eye for telling anecdotes. Equally suited for general readers and Texas history courses." - Walter D. Kamphoefner, Texas A&M University, author of Germans in America: A Concise History
"Barber offers a compelling, fascinating account of the long and contested history of how European immigrants in Texas evolved from nationality groups to Anglos. Texan Crucible powerfully weaves together the histories of these immigrants, Anglos, African Americans, and Mexican Americans to complicate our understanding of race relations and American identity in the United States. It provides an important corrective to our understanding of European immigrants' integration, one that goes beyond the traditional focus on the coastal communities." - Maddalena Marinari, Gustavus Adolphus College, author of Unwanted: Italian and Jewish Mobilization against Restrictive Immigration Laws 18821965
