Texas History
March 1, 1997
Susanna Dickinson
How did Susanna Dickinson survive the Battle of the Alamo, and who played her in John Wayne’s movie?
293 Articles
Texas History
February 1, 1997
Bill Pickett
What was Bill Pickett’s nickname, and how did he wrestle steers to the ground?
Arts & Entertainment
January 1, 1997
To Die For
Obituaries are a grave matter, of course. But they can also be funny, insightful, and poetic, which is why I’m so obsessed with them.
Texas History
January 1, 1997
Bonnie and Clyde
To whom were Bonnie and Clyde really married, and whose saxophone was found in their car?
Texas History
December 1, 1996
The Neiman Marcus Christmas Catalog
In Texas the ultimate arbiter of good taste has always been Neiman Marcus, the Dallas-based department store that marks its ninetieth birthday next year.
The Stand Up Desk
December 1, 1996
Running With the Big Dogs
From Fred Gipson’s fictional Old Yeller to A&M mascot Reveille and Lyndon Johnson’s beleaguered beagles, dogs have always reigned as Texans’ pets of choice. The long line of distinguished dog lovers includes John Graves of Glen Rose, Texas’ writer emeritus, and acclaimed Beaumont photographer Keith Carter, who joined forces
Texas History
November 1, 1996
John Nance Garner
What did Uvalde’s John Nance garner think the vice presidency was really worth?
The Stand Up Desk
November 1, 1996
Grand Parent
Nature photography is just part of Laurence Parent’s nature. The 37-year-old Austin-area resident, who took the pictures that accompany this month’s article on Hueco Tanks State Historical Park (“Social Climbers”), has long been known for his landscape work, from wildflower close-ups to desert vistas. “My father was in the
News & Politics
November 1, 1996
Brentfield Elementary
With a private-school atmosphere, involved parents, and a veteran principal and faculty, this Richardson school makes the most of its many blessings.
Music
September 30, 1996
Dale Evans
LIKE COWBOYS AND INDIANS or steak and eggs, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans are a classic Western duo. Roy was raised in Duck Run, Ohio, but Dale is Texas’ own, born in Uvalde and raised in tiny Italy. From childhood she was determined to become an entertainer, and after false
Art
September 30, 1996
¡Bravo!
A new exhibit in San Marcos pays homage to Manuel Alvarez Bravo, the grandfather of Mexican photography, and the generations of fotógrafos who followed his lead.
Music
August 31, 1996
The Music Man
Most businesses in the West Texas town of Alpine cater to locals, but one attracts Eric Clapton, Robert Cray, Junior Brown, and other musical greats. It’s the modest building where Michael Stevens, luthier to the stars, produces electric guitars—fewer than two dozen a year, at $2,700 to $10,000 plus. “We
Travel & Outdoors
August 31, 1996
Mesilla Real Soon
The time is ripe, and so are the chiles: This tiny, homey town in New Mexico is the ideal spot for a fall weekend getaway.
Sports
August 31, 1996
Darrell Royal
What is Darrell Royal’s code name, and what does his middle initial stand for?
Art
August 31, 1996
Gilt Trip
Andrew Eccles has photographed plenty of 24-karat celebrities for Texas Monthly, but his session with Lou Diamond Phillips was a truly golden experience. “In an industry that’s marked by jaded people,” Eccles says, “Lou was a breath of fresh air. He’s down to earth, talkative, enthusiastic—an incredibly sweet guy.”In his
Books
July 31, 1996
West Seller
An El Paso novelist makes history.
Art
April 30, 1996
The Inside Story: Sure Shot
Dallas photographer Laura Wilson has made up for lost time. The 55-year-old Massachusetts native is a regular contributor to Texas Monthly, for whom she has shot portraits of Laredo debutantes and Mullin footballers, and she has also worked for The New Yorker, the New York Times, and the London Sunday
Texas History
April 30, 1996
L. T. Felty
He never met a man who didn’t like him. L.T. Felty, who died March 17, was born in Hickory Creek, but he spent forty-plus years in Waxahachie, where his genial and helpful manner as a schoolteacher and coach earned him the unofficial title of Mr. Waxahachie. (Christened solely with rhyming
Art
April 30, 1996
Her Three Sons
For the Wilsons of Dallas, taking pictures was a family affair. Today the mother is a successful photographer and her boys are hot Hollywood commodities. Here’s a look at Laura Wilson’s personal album.
Film & TV
April 1, 1996
After Thoughts
The big-screen bungling of Rosellen Brown’s Before and After.
Style & Design
April 1, 1996
The Buckle Stops Here
“I always liked Western buckles,” says Robert Brandes, “and then one day it dawned on me to ask, ‘Hey—who makes these things?’” The Austin collector-investor set out to learn more about the silversmiths and engravers who made their mark on cowboy adornment in the form of weighty, elaborately decorated rodeo-style
Books
April 1, 1996
Wild About Harry
Houston attorney-novelist Eric L. Harry flashed on the idea for his new technothriller while rafting on a river. In Society of the Mind (Harper Collins, $25), due out in June, a mad genius lures a young Harvard professor to his secret island compound to psychoanalyze an equally disturbed computer…New York
Style & Design
April 1, 1996
Buckle Up
The rodeo belt buckle is prized by cowboys and collectors alike. By the look of these handcrafted samples, it’s easy to see why.
Critters
March 1, 1996
Where the Wild Things Are
One of the country’s top photographers traveled around his home state to capture these stunning portraits of exotic animals on display.
Books
March 1, 1996
Colum McCann
Some words are worth a thousand pictures; such is the case with the image-rich writing of Colum McCann, whose first novel, Songdogs (Metropolitan Books, $22.50), has won praise from both The New Yorker and the New York Times. A native of Ireland, the 31-year-old credits Texas with jump-starting his career.
Film & TV
February 1, 1996
Star Gazing
Snow business comes to Houston.
Film & TV
February 1, 1996
Johnny Angel
His recent performances in Pulp Fiction and Get Shorty have been simply divine, but for his most heavenly role yet, John Travolta heads to Texas—his first time back since Urban Cowboy. In Michael, co-written and directed by Nora Ephron, Travolta plays a real live angel, while William Hurt and Andie
Film & TV
February 1, 1996
Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson
As befits the creators of a movie called Bottle Rocket, the careers of Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson have taken off with a bang. The twentysomething filmmakers, who met at the University of Texas, first produced a thirteen-minute black and white short of the same name about three bumbling wannabe
Business
January 1, 1996
Domino Effect
This month at least two hundred Texans will converge on Hallettsville for the state championship of straight dominoes. The outcome is unpredictable, but one fact is not: Chances are that every player will tote a set of bones made by Waco-based Puremco, the only manufacturer of plastic dominoes outside mainland
Books
December 1, 1995
Br-u-u-ce!
A cyberpunk writer’s sterling career.
Texas History
December 1, 1995
The Last Picture Shows
A loving look back at nine grand old movie houses from the golden age of small-town Texas.
Books
December 1, 1995
The Good Old Boy
After four decades of writing classic Texas novels, there’s no denying that San Angelo’s Elmer Kelton has earned his Spurs.
Art
October 1, 1995
Hi-Ho Daddy-O!
From dancing frogs to towering cowboy boots, a look at how Bob Wade’s outlandish sculptures became Texas landmarks.
The Stand Up Desk
September 30, 1995
Time for a Change
Texas Monthly sports a brand-new look this month. The thorough resesign includes many reader-friendly changes, which were overseen by deputy editor Evan Smith, art director D. J. Stout, and associate art director Nancy McMillen. Around the State, for example was reorganized by city instead of subject, and State Fare
Books
September 30, 1995
Walker, Texas Writer
Mary Willis Walker’s mysteries aren’t exactly original, but she crafts real moments of tension. That’s why they sell so well and win so many awards.
Books
June 30, 1995
Family Karr
With The Liar’s Club, a dark and lyrical memoir, a stiking new voice emerges from the oil patch.
Books
May 31, 1995
Cheap Thrills
From “Lone State Doom” to “Land of Violent Men,” a look back at Texas’ classic pulp fiction.
News & Politics
April 1, 1995
The Case of The Amateur Skull Boilers
Led by an owner of a roofing company, a group of novice sleuths solves gruesome crimes in San Antonio. It sounds like a TV show—and it may soon be one.
Arts & Entertainment
March 1, 1995
‘Tuna’ Salad Days
After fourteen years, 2,500 performances, and innumerable one-liners, the theatrical careers of Joe Sears and Jaston Williams are going swimmingly.
Art
January 1, 1995
Brush With Fame
As a curator and in his own work as a painter, Jerry Bywaters left a lasting legacy of Texas art.
Business
January 1, 1995
Critter Bidders
High-tech meets down-home in Texas’ latest ranching trend: a video auction of emus, elk, and other exotic animals.
Being Texan
December 1, 1994
Texas Sayings
Forget that Roget fella—here in Texas we’re more apt to consult Bubba’s thesaurus. In Texas, folks aren’t just rich—locals say they didn’t come to town two to a mule.Someone doesn’t merely die—she opens herself up a worm farm. A scoundrel is “greasy as fried lard”; a summer day is
Being Texan
December 1, 1994
More Colorful Texas Sayings Than You Can Shake a Stick At
Come hell or high water, you’ll want to read our compilation of down-home aphorisms.
Books
December 1, 1994
Page Masters
This past year, Texas writers chased tornadoes, delved into devil worship, and pondered the etiquette of breast-feeding.
Reporter
August 31, 1994
Wise Blood
From one stain, Dusty Hesskew can solve a murder. That’s why he is Texas’ top blood detective.
Art
August 1, 1994
War Paint
Fifty years after the bloody battle of Peleliu, Tom Lea’s paintings still prove war is hell.
Books
June 30, 1994
Blood Lines
With eight books in print, David Lindsey has established his own gory niche in the world of mystery writers.
The Culture
May 31, 1994
Dazed and Discovered
Sometimes stars are found in the unlikeliest places.
Business
May 31, 1994
What’s the Beef?
Two Dallas steakhouses are accusing each other of libel, slander, and phony advertising. It should be a juicy case.
Reporter
April 30, 1994
Ruffled Feathers
In Midland a disputed bird and animal refuge has the mayor and others crying fowl.