Immigrants

From all over the world, people are coming to Houston to find a better life. For a few of them—immigrants from Poland, Nigeria, and El Salvador—this is what it’s like.

by Anna Goslicka

The Texas Edison

A Dallas engineer you’ve probably never heard of has done more to change our daily lives than almost anyone else alive. How? He invented the silicon chip.

by T.R. Reid

The Store That Made Jonesville Famous

And other great country stores of Texas.

by Harry Hurt III

The Man Who Killed Braniff

Harding Lawrence was obsessed with making Braniff great. Maybe too obsessed.

by Byron Harris

What Texas Means To Me

God created Texas, and then He created people who would love it.

by Stephen Harrigan

Texas Primer: The Ghost Town

The lost hopes of places like Belle Plain haunt Texas’ prairies.

by David Hisbrook

Behind the Lines

Songs of innocence.

by Gregory Curtis

Food

Angst Amid The Kiwi Fruit

Young caterers in Dallas are vying to hire the preppiest staff to serve the spiffiest food at the classiest parties.

by Alison Cook

Lifestyle

The Way To A Woman’s Heart

Just say these three little words: “Shall we dance?”

by Prudence Mackintosh

Theater

A Generous Helping

Houston’s Stages theater gave new writers a push and established writers a pat when it put on a Texans-only playwrights’ festival.

by W. L. Taitte

Church

Main Street Religion

The power and charm of the Reverend Charles Allen go beyond his own church, First United Methodist of Houston. Simple, standard churches like First Presbyterian in Brownsville are the solid rock of American religion.

by William Martin

Jazz

The Kid Is Blowing Them Away

In the footsteps of Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, and other trumpet greats comes twenty-year-old Wynton Marsalis. Judging by their latest albums, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and fellow veterans are doing all right too.

by Doug Ramsey

Movies

Little Alien Lost

No one should pass up a close encounter with E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial. Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid doesn’t wear well. Conan the Barbarian is nothing but muscle: Annie is nothing but bustle.

by James Wolcott

Reporter

Texas Monthly Reporter

A job crunch hits Odessa; an all-business mayor shakes up El Paso; the Rangers fold (again); a Houston homeowner wars with his neighborhood association; grads commemorate an all-black high school.

by Peter Applebome

Roar of the Crowd

Lies and whispers.

State Secrets

Slums for sale, hardball at the Herald; bye-bye, Nueces Bay; hello, mudslinging.

Edited by Paul Burka