Texas A&m University: A Legacy of Tradition

As a non-Aggie with an interest in Texas A & M University, its history and traditions, and especially the Corps of Cadets, I was pretty pleased with the information and images in this book. It certainly didn't answer all my questions, but then, I didn't really expect it to. What I most expected is what the book did an excellent job delivering: high-quality photography, well-reproduced and well-explained. Even five years past its publication date, I think this book would probably make an excellent gift for loyal Ags (are there any other kind?), their parents, and other friends of the University. Though there is some expository text, the copy doesn't get in the way of the large and colorful photos (extremely helpful are the small-text explanations of the quotes and photos that fill several pages at the back of the book). Wide-angle or aerial photography blends with close-ups of individual students. Most of the emphasis seems to be on the campus' buildings and grounds, but there is also fair coverage of the Corps. Non-reg students may feel a bit left out -- but on the other hand, one of the Corps' historic roles (perhaps THE historic role) has been as the defender and upholder of the very "legacy of tradition" evoked in this volume's subtitle. As the flap about a recent article on A & M in "Texas Monthly" magazine shows, the traditions that give the school its distinctive identity are coming under attack from many quarters. Though hardly the full story on all that A & M is (or, some might say, WAS), this attractive book should spur a lot of happy memories for anyone who loves the school.