When the University of Texas at Austin decided to close the Cactus Cafe, a tiny live-music venue tucked into a campus corner, it sparked a months-long rebellion that drew campus and community into heated debates about art vs. commerce, the generation gap, and even the value of college football. As Austin citizens, students, and administrators waged a war of words, activists - mobilizing through social media, mass meetings, and the mainstream press - spearheaded an astonishing and ultimately successful preservation effort. Relying heavily on the voices of participants, "Cactus Burning: Austin, Texas and the Battle for the Iconic Cactus Cafe" honors the culture-crusaders who joined the Cactus' cause, while serving as an essential primer for everyone struggling to save their own local heritage.
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