Gruene Peace
A historic dance hall, the cypress-shaded Guadalupe, a couple of rustic inns: A great weekend getaway awaits you less than an hour from Austin and San Antonio.
Jan Reid is a former senior editor at Texas Monthly and has contributed to Esquire, GQ, Slate, Men’s Journal, Men’s Health, and the New York Times. An early article about Texas music spawned his first book, The Improbable Rise of Redneck Rock. Among his ten books are a well-reviewed novel, Deerinwater, for which he won a Dobie-Paisano Fellowship; a collection of his magazine pieces, Close Calls,</em< that was a finalist for a Texas Institute of Letters book of the year award; Rio Grande, a compilation of choice writing and photography on the storied border stream; and The Bullet Meant for Me, a reflection on marriage, friendship, boxing, and physical and emotional recovery from a deadly shooting in Mexico.
Articles by Jan Reid
2. Ronnie Earle
The long arm of the law is getting longer every day—and reaching into the Capitol.
Legends of the Fall
Texas football heroes Darrell Royal, Doak Walker, Sammy Baugh, and John David Crow are off the field, but they’re still having a ball.
Glory Days
Texas high school football may be in decline, but filmmakers still want to play.
The Coming of Redneck Hip
Rock and Country music met in Austin. That friendship may make the state.
Cold Case
One year ago tejano star Emilio Navaira was nearly killed in a tour bus accident outside Houston. What are we still learning about the experimental medical procedure that may have saved his life?
He’s About A Mover
Country, jazz, blues, R&B, polka, and conjunto—the late, great Doug Sahm was a walking encyclopedia of Texas music. An exclusive excerpt from a new biography explores how he stirred it all together and found his own sound in his first great song.
The Cult of Keen
It took two decades of shows at honky-tonks filled with frat-boy fans and Aggie admirers, but singer-songwriter Robert Earl Keen has his first major-label record deal.
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To Hell and Back
After he was shot by a Mexico City cab driver—and told that he might be paralyzed—Jan Reid was flown to Houston, where Dr. Red Duke and a team of therapists literally got him back on his feet. In an excerpt from his forthcoming memoir, The Bullet Meant for Me, Reid reconstructs the grueling nine weeks of recovery before he and his wife, Dorothy, finally headed home to Austin.
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Citizen Cane
Ten years ago I was shot in Mexico City by a street thug who wanted to kill me. Since then, I’ve endured unbelievable pain and learned how to walk again, and I’m thankful for what I have: a new outlook on life, time with my family, and a chance to step back into the ring.
Physician, Heal Thyself
When Sam Hassenbusch was diagnosed with a deadly form of brain cancer, the only saving grace was his own history of treating the very same affliction.
Seems Like Old Times
My Wichita Falls High School reunion inevitably got me thinking about the passage of time but also about memories that endure. And, of course, football.
Rocket Man
Richard Garriott wants to experience space travel because it would be cool—and because his dad did.
Me of Little Faith
All I know for certain about religion is that the one my mother tried so hard to pass on to me just didn’t take.
The Good Doctor
Can one of the state’s best writers change modern medicine as we know it? Abraham Verghese hopes so—one story at a time.
The Man With the Plan
You probably know that Tom DeLay spearheaded the massive—and massively controversial— congressional redistricting effort that tied Texas legislators in knots for one regular and three special sessions. What you probably don’t know is how he did it. Herein lies a tale.
The Metamorphosis
If you want to understand the shift in political power that has taken place in Texas over the past thirty years—from rural areas to the new suburbs, from Democratic control to Republican dominance—you'll hardly find a better case study than Tom DeLay's Sugar Land.
The Warrior’s Bride
Cynthia Ann Parker was nine when a Comanche snatched her from her East Texas home in 1836. Yet throughout her life as her captor's wife she remained strong, brave, and devoted to her husband and children. Which is to say, she was the original Texas woman.
The End of the River
Why the mighty Rio Grande isn't so mighty anymore: a twisted tale of international politics, water rights, and environmental reality (with a drought thrown in for good measure).
Kid Gloves
Growing up in Wichita Falls, I was a skinny kid with buckteeth and a girl's name, so I got into my share of fights. To improve my odd's of winning-and turn my anger and fear into bravery and skill-I learned to box.
Tony Sanchez’s New Deal
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.
Earl Campbell
He has moved from pig skin to pork sausage, but he's still trying to score.
Return to The Gay Place
Forty years after it was published, Billy Lee Brammer's novel about LBJ-era Austin is still one of the best ever written about American politics. Yet just as interesting is the story of Brammer himself.
A Heavy Weight
In this corner, convicted rapist Tony Ayala of San Antonioonce a rising star of pro boxing, now an ex-convict on the road to redemption. And in this corner, his pastthe toughest opponent he's ever faced.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the Next Cormac McCarthy
Meet El Paso novelist James Carlos Blake, who writes critically acclaimed literary westerns with lots of violence but few female characters. Sound familiar?
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The Improbable Rise of Lyle Lovett
Twenty years ago, he was inspired by the redneck rock of Steve Fromholz and Guy Clark. On his new album, he says thanks.
The Contender
He may soon compete for the super featherweight championship of the world, but for now Austin boxer Jesus Chavez is in the fight of his life—with federal immigration officials.
Milligan’s Island
With his resounding voice and striking appearance, Austin’s Malford Milligan stands out in a sea of Texas soul singers.
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Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson may not be a radio staple anymore, but a new tribute album recorded by some of rock’s coolest stars shows that his music is still moving to them.
Crude Awakening
There’s black gold in the South American rain forest—lots of it. Can the oil companies get it out without ruining the jungle and the way of life of the Indians who live there? The perils of drilling in the heart of darkness.
Twelve Yards and a Cloud of Dust
The Tiny town of Mullin adopted its high school football heroes in more ways than one. These foster children and native sons had the time of their lives playing in the Super Bowl of six-man football.
Basking in It
If the literary novel is dead, then why is Baskerville Publishers in Dallas flourishing?
LaFave Rave
Jimmy LaFave’s great new CD might propel him from Austin to the big time—if that were what he wanted.
A Special Agent
The Secret Service lost a good man in the Oklahoma blast—and I lost an old friend.
Davy Crock?
New York fireman Bill Groneman is disputing a critical piece of Alamo lore—and historians everywhere are burning mad.
Spooking the CIA
Jennifer Harbury’s career as a lawyer in Texas was the prelude to her front-page fight with the U.S. intelligence community.
No Limits
For twenty seasons Austin City Limits has been the elite soundstage of American popular music. And it keeps getting better.
Big
In heavyweight boxing—and in the glare of media lights—it helps to be larger than life. Ask George Foreman, 1994’s comeback kid.
Sympathy for The Devils
Riding the rapids of Texas’ last major unpolluted river is dangerous enough. But trample the private property around it and you could really get hurt.
A Good Sport
By all rights, Oilers coach Jack Pardee should be the most respected Texan in football. Instead, his days may be numbered.
Last of a Breed
Bob Eckhardt left an indelible mark on Texas liberalism. At eighty, he looks back on his wins, losses, and wives.
Lucken Back
Twenty years later, Jerry Jeff Walker returns to the town his music put on the map.
Tuff Stuff
Tuff Hedeman was born in El Paso and raised on rodeo. Today he’s one of the best bull riders in the world.
Running Rabid
The nature and nightmarish potential of the rabies outbreak dawned on South Texans in late 1988 and early 1989, when coyotes were seen trotting through the streets of Rio Grande City. The first of these wayward animals crossed U.S 183, the town’s busy main drag, and sat down in…
Return of the Native Son
For years he renounced his Texas ties. Now Larry McMurty is once again calling Archer City home.
Scarred
Not long after she made her trek from Texas to New York, Marla Hanson saw her modeling career end at the hands of a razor-wielding thug. Six years later, the cuts on her face have healed, but the emotional wounds remain.
Showdown at Maverick Ranch
With bulldozers poised to plow through their family’s historic spread, three San Antonio sisters are waging war against the state department.