Inside South Austin

South Austin is a quirky part of town, sort of the local answer to Greenwich Village in New York or the Left Bank in Paris. Big business and government stay on the far side of Lady Bird Lake. There may be glittering vistas across to the Texas capitol, but the main goal over here seems to be to keep Austin weird. With nearly 45,000 people living in its nine square miles, it is time for a book like this to help folks figure out what is going on. Inside South Austin guides you to vacant lots sprouting gourmet kitchens in Airstream trailers, picnic tables at the ready and to nearby chic restaurants and honky-tonks nestled beside funky shops that still glory in the 1960s. There are sections on the local music scene, on individual neighborhoods and one with historical background as well.