The 58-year-old banker and oilman from Laredo is enormously wealthy, has impeccable Texas roots, and–best of all–is Hispanic. Sounds like the Democrats' dream candidate, right? Maybe.

In an excerpt from their forthcoming book, Texas Mountains, senior editor Joe Nick Patoski and freelance photographer Laurence Parent celebrate the wild beauty of the state's sierras.

Whether you plan to buy tamales or make them from scratch this holiday season, here's everything you need to know about these simple (and simply delicious) gift-wrapped treats.

Find out in our rankings of nearly every public elementary, middle, and high school in Texas–the most comprehensive and accurate ever done in the state.

The Houston-based energy giant put the pursuit of profits ahead of all other corporate goals, which fostered a climate of workaholism and paranoia. And that was only part of the problem.

San Antonio's Clear Channel Communications may dominate Texas' airways, but the way it does business is tuning out to the best things on the radio.

Why principals matter.

Russell Erxleben and Brian Russell Stearns were first-rate frauds who cheated scores of unsuspecting investors. So how did the prominent law firm of Locke, Liddell, and Sapp get stuck footing a $30 million bill?

What did I do when I wanted to indulge my weakness for cooking classes? I put San Miguel de Allende on the menu.

For almost four decades, G. A. Moore, Jr. has quietly gone about becoming the greatest high school football coach in Texas history.

When I lost my father to cancer this summer, the greatest comfort I found was in understanding how to grieve. That came in handy on September 11.

Sandra Brown's latest novel-and her umpteenth best-seller-is called Envy. Funny, that's the last feeling I get when I read her work.

Michael Hall riffs about his rock n' roll days.

Dan Rather reflects on the attack at the World Trade Center.

Keith Graves draws from the experience of his projects.

George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and me.