Faces of the West

A collection of black and white portraits that capture the powerful effects of the West upon its people, with an introduction by Larry McMurtry.

Photography by Richard Avedon

The Final Gun

In a small East Texas town a black principal and a white coach loved the same woman. First came the gossip. Next came the strange letters. And then there was a murder.

by Gary Cartwright

What’s the Big Deal About Grills?

Hot, hot, hot! Here’s why grills have become the trendiest of the trendy restaurants in Texas.

by Alison Cook

Roaming the Range

Follow that ribbon of highway to discover the breathtaking River Road, a beer-drinking goat, fabulous fajitas, and the ghostly cavalry of Fort Davis—all in the vast vacation resource known as West Texas.

by Barbara Rodriguez

The Fabric of Dreams

Florid fashions of smooth silks and soothing satins.

Sovereign of the Sky

Train a dog and you have a friend. Train a falcon and you have an emblem of medieval majesty.

by Alan Tennant

Behind the Lines

Turn right for heaven.

by Gregory Curtis

Cooking

Lily Buds, Tree Ears, and Fish Sauce

With just a nip of nuoc mam you’ll be on your way to the cooking frontier of Vietnamese food.

by Nicholas Lemann

Fatherhood

Don’t Talk to Strangers

Of course parents do everything they can to protect their children. But at some point they must learn to let go.

by Lawrence Wright

Architecture

How to Make Your Dream House Come True

A guide to getting the most out of an architect and custom-building a home, with grace and aplomb.

Larry Paul Fuller

Jazz

Swinging With Zoot

From the moment tenor saxophonist Zoot Sims sounded his first note to just before his death four decades later, he performed with irresistible spirit and intensity.

by Doug Ramsey

Movies

Restless Itch

Songwriter is like a great party; Kiss of the Spider Woman doesn’t connect; Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome runs out of gas; Key Exchange is too cute; Disney’s Black Cauldron isn’t for kids.

by James Wolcott

Reporter

Texas Monthly Reporter

A question of honor in San Antonio; Christian harmony in Dallas; a wage dispute in Houston.

by Jim Atkinson

Recipe

Viet-Tex Redfish Noodle Soup

With just a nip of nuoc mam you’ll be on your way to the cooking frontier of Vietnamese food.

Nicholas Lemann

Back Roads

Skinner Brown, a 63-year-old farmer and business man, was a pillar of his small-town society until he was busted for possessing $12 million worth of marijuana.

by Peter Applebone

Post-Modern Times

by Michael Ennis

Downtown

It doesn’t matter whether you’re a developer with a million-dollar idea or a homeowner with a yen to remodel. You can’t bend any rule at all without approval from the Board of Adjustment.

by Jim Atkinson

Touts

Want to read a juicy story?

Patricia Sharpe

Roar of the Crowd

Reading all about it; making the best of it; putting it on the map.

Puzzle

Exercises in new math.

State Secrets

Looking for a place to go in Galveston; Coastal’s pension pipeline; John Hill for the defense; fallout from the East Texas congressional race.

Edited by Paul Burka