The Houston Seminar

05/06/2026

Last month we were delighted to host a conversation with James McWilliams and Kevin Prufer about McWilliams' masterful biography of poet Frank Stanford. On Monday, the book was announced as one of three finalists for the 2026 Pulitzer Prize for Biography.

The jury described the book as "a finely-researched work that illuminates the story of a little-known yet consequential literary figure, whose life helps us better understand the cultural history of the American South... James McWIlliams traces the short and painfully complicated life of this hidden talent who left a lifetime's worth of poetry that, through its grounding in the mundane, achieved a vision of the transcendent."

Congratulations on this remarkable honor!
Texas State University

05/06/2026

The Zoroastrian Association of Houston (ZAH) in southwest Houston is a place of worship and a vibrant cultural and educational hub for local Zoroastrians from India, Iran, and Pakistan. Yesterday an engaged Seminar group toured this intriguing complex.

We first heard from Aban Rustomji, who founded the ZAH library - the largest collection of Zoroastrian materials in North America - to help preserve the ancient faith’s cultural heritage through a curated selection of books, documents, photographs, and art objects.

After educator Vehishta Kaikobad gave an overview of the religion’s history and principles, a priest welcomed us to the Fire Temple (“Atash Kadeh”) at the heart of the campus, where a sacred flame symbolizes purity and divine presence.

Interested in learning about future educational events like this? Please join our email list via houstonseminar.org, or by emailing [email protected].
FEZANA

04/12/2026

On the evening of April 22nd, writer, historian, & TSU professor James McWilliams will discuss his recent book, The Life & Poetry of Frank Stanford, with writer and University of Houston professor Kevin Prufer.

Topics will include Stanford's poetry, the American literary tradition, the south, and whatever else emerges in conversation. We'll meet from 6-7:30 PM at a private home in the Rice University area; please join us! More details and registration info are at houstonseminar.org.

Kevin Prufer Texas State University University of Houston

04/08/2026

We concluded yesterday's iris adventure with a visit to Standards & Falls, a small grower that produces 300+ varieties of Louisiana Iris on the sunny shores of a 30-acre lake.
We heard about conservation efforts, history, and growing tips, and each of us returned home with a rhizome to plant, a sheaf of iris info, and a buttery custom-iced iris cookie from EasyStreetBakeCo.com.
Many thanks to Carol Price and Louise Jamail of Standards & Falls!

To join our email list to learn of future events, please visit houstonseminar.org.

04/08/2026

Our first stop on today's iris-themed tour was the lush 180-acre Mercer Botanic Gardens, which includes themed gardens, nurseries, and a seed bank.

Christie Jones, Mercer's Director of Education, was our guide; she described Hurricane Harvey's devastating flooding and the restoration that has revived the popular site. (The tea pavilion in the photo was completely submerged by floodwaters.)

After an informative lunch, we continued on to Standards & Falls Iris (photos in next post!).
Mercer Arboretum and Botanic Gardens Tom Ramsey Harris Co. Commissioner PCT 3

03/28/2026

We just added a private tour of the Fox Theatre to our upcoming Detroit trip. We decided that we couldn't miss this treasure: the largest surviving movie palace in the U.S, with 5,000+ seats and a six-story lobby.
In 1988, local business owners Mike and Marian Ilitch invested $12.5 million in a meticulous restoration of the then-neglected 1928 building. Now it is a National Historic Landmark with a busy schedule of performances, helping spur a downtown revitalization.
Our Detroit trip is sold out, but please follow us for news of future adventures.
The District Detroit

03/25/2026

At this time of year irises unfurl in stunning displays, and we invite you to enjoy them with us on April 7th! We'll first travel to Mercer Botanic Gardens, where Christie Jones, director of education, will share highlights of this lovely historic garden / nursery site.
After lunch, we'll journey on to Standards & Falls Iris, where co-owner Carol Shanks Price will tell the story of this thriving nursery business and its 300+ varieties of Louisiana Irises.
Whether you're an expert gardener or simply appreciate beautiful blooms, we'd love you to join us. Details are at houstonseminar.org.
Friends of Mercer Botanic Gardens The Mercer Society

03/23/2026

On Tuesday, March 31st, we'll gather at the Kilroy Education & Visitor Center at Bayou Bend for a taste of the culture, cuisine, and great music of New Orleans.

Our guide will be Charles Chamberlain, a professor of history at the University of New Orleans concentrating on Louisiana studies and music history, and author of New Orleans: A Concise History of an Exceptional CIty.

For more details or to register, please visit houstonseminar.org!
University of New Orleans

Home

03/22/2026

Many thanks to Dr. Alyssa Trometter and Lauren Caldarera of My Connect Community, Maria Ramirez of Madres Del Parque, Kayleigh Colombero of Étoile Academy Charter School, and the Rev. Julie Ellerbrock of St. Luke's UMC - Gethsemane Campus for sharing the challenges and inspiring successes of their work in Houston's most densely populated community. We'll visit more innovative projects on Wednesday 3/25; please join us!

Home

03/20/2026

.Many thanks to Iris Clawson-Davis, Hermann Park Conservancy's Senior Director of Green Space, for the tour of the Park's Japanese Garden yesterday morning. A fresh, cool morning; lovely new blooms; happy waterfowl; and lots of good information about the Garden's history, its challenges, and of course its success in creating a Japanese-inspired sanctuary in Houston.

Please visit houstonseminar.org or email [email protected] to join our email list for news of future events!

03/17/2026

Please join us on Wednesday for the first of two morning tours of Houston's vibrant, culturally rich Gulfton neighborhood. Our guides will include Maria Hernandez, founder of Madres del Parque, who'll show us the redesign of Burnett Bayland Park; Lauren Caldarera, Vice President of Programs & Strategy at My Connect Community; Kayleigh Colombero, Superintendent of Etoile Charter Schools; and Julie Ellerbrock, Campus Pastor of St. Luke's United Methodist Church Gethsemane, which has become a community hub.
For more details, please visit houstonseminar.org!
St. Luke's UMC - Gethsemane Campus Madres Del Parque My Connect Community