The Ragged Edge

Soon there won’t be anyone left who wants to be a cop.

by Jim Atkinson

How Safe Are You?

Rating the police departments of Texas’ major cities.

by Jim Atkinson

Texas Primer: The Comic Texan

The life and times of the cowboy-millionaire hero of a thousand postcards.

Coach Royal Regrets

Does Texas’ greatest college coach miss football? Nope.

by Jan Reid

Piece by Piece

Out of Texas’ ragbag history came the patchwork quilt, the product of cold winters, isolated homesteads, empty pocketbooks, and fertile minds.

by Anne Dingus

The Light Before Christmas

String the lights, hang the tinsel and the expense. It’s Christmas and the decorated homes of Texans are second to none.

by Christina Patoski

281

If you want to see the real Texas, don’t take the interstate.

by Jan Morris

Behind the Lines

Ten thousand doors.

by Gregory Curtis

Education

The Four R’s

In Corpus Christi’s schools, testing kids is as important as teaching them—which has greatly improved test scores but not the quality of public education.

by Joseph Nocera

Books

…And To All A Good Read

Reading aloud at Christmas charms the wiggliest kids and takes the humbug out of anyone.

by Prudence Mackintosh

Movies

Truth and Woolworth’s

Life is false fronts and fantasies to the women who flock to a dusty Texas town in Robert Altman’s Com Back to the 5 & Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean. The Missionary won’t convert you. Still of the Night is still, all right.

by James Wolcott

Art

Tintypes And Stormscapes

A new book on the Amon Carter Museum’s photography collection chronicles one and a half colorful centuries of America in haunting black and white.

by Michael Ennis

Theater

Bringing Down The House

The board of the Dallas Theater Center is fighting with its stuck-in-a-rut staff to pull the company out of its decade of doldrums.

by W. L. Taitte

Classical Music

Hal-le-lu-jah!

On Christmas Day, people all across the country can tune in to PBS to hear the Concert Chorale of Houston sing the Messiah. That’s reason to rejoice.

by W. L. Taitte

Reporter

Texas Monthly Reporter

Sundown’s up and Morton’s down: Dallas is Texas’ most mental city; the Spurs are Texas’ most schizophrenic team; the Aggies are ushering in brave new world; Fort Worth is fixing to challenge Detroit.

by Peter Applebome

Roar of the Crowd

Pickens, pesos, and notes from the fringe.

State Secrets

Brown & Root looks for a way out; Mark White looks for a way in; who’s number one at UT; the Court of Criminal Appeals blows another one.

Edited by Paul Burka