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Writer-at-large Eric Benson began contributing to Texas Monthly in 2014, covering politics, crime, and the U.S.-Mexico border and writing cover stories on everything from the supersized gas station chain Buc-ee’s to the Nobel Prize–winning immunologist James P. Allison. He is the cocreator of the Ambie Award–winning podcast series Suspect and host and lead reporter of the Apple TV+ podcast series Project Unabom.

62 Articles

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Books|
February 7, 2023

The Waco Fire Is Still Burning

One night in the fall of 1869, an angel visited a homeopathic physician in upstate New York named Cyrus Teed. She told him he was the Lamb of God, spoken of in the Bible’s book of Revelation, who was prophesied to open the seven seals and bring about the end-time.

Food & Drink|
August 12, 2020

The Quest for Better Beef

Vegans want to end the killing of animals. Scientists say livestock are accelerating climate change. COVID-19 is ravaging meat-packers. Texas beef is under fire—but all across the industry, from the pasture to the butcher case, a vision of more sustainable burgers and briskets is beginning to come into focus.

Libations|
October 16, 2019

The Great Texas Whiskey Boom

A decade ago, there was no Texas whiskey. Today, the state’s craft distillers are making world-class bourbons and single malts—and slick imitators are trying to stake a claim.

Politics & Policy|
May 29, 2019

Who Counts?

Texas stands to lose a great deal if the 2020 Census doesn’t include every Texan—including congressional seats and billions in federal funding.

Health|
October 19, 2016

The Iconoclast

Jim Allison has always gone his own way—as a small-town-Texas kid who preferred books to football, and as a young scientist who believed the immune system could treat tumors when few others did. And that irreverence led him to find a potential cure for cancer.

The Culture|
July 20, 2016

Faith and Hope

The country’s largest group of Muslims live in Texas, yet many of them don’t feel welcome here. A few young and progressive leaders—like Irving imam Omar Suleiman—are working to change that.

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