Books
June 22, 2021
Texas Monthly Recommends: An Engrossing East Texas Novel
Stacey Swann's ‘Olympus, Texas’ is the read of the summer. Plus: a so-bad-it's-good reality show and Megan Thee Stallion on ‘Legendary.’
More Stories
Health
June 22, 2021
Austin’s Comedor Run Club Is Sprinting Toward Better Health for Restaurant Staff
The group of chefs, servers, and restaurant owners is starting a movement to replace the post-shift drink with a pre-shift run.
Film & TV
June 22, 2021
Hollywood Honors Texas’s Biggest Movie Star: The Chevy Suburban
The SUV will get a star in Arlington commemorating its thousands of movie and TV appearances.
Sports
June 21, 2021
Three Words That Can Doom a Texas HS Student’s Varsity Dreams
Inside the state appeals process for UIL students who've been suspended from varsity sports because they transferred "for athletic purposes."
Sports
June 18, 2021
Can Mark Cuban Name a Better Duo Than Rick Carlisle and Donnie Nelson?
After the Dallas Mavericks parted ways with its longtime coach and general manager, the franchise must rebuild around young star Luka Dončić.
Tacos
June 18, 2021
The Taco Mafia Is Making Austin’s Restaurant Scene a Little Friendlier
From dousing a fire to fund-raising for a chef's medical bills and hosting pop-ups, this group is changing the city's competitive dining culture.
Energy
June 18, 2021
Is There an “Ethical” Temperature at Which to Set Your Thermostat?
It’s a question we are once more forced to ponder—and one for which we have an answer!
Style & Design
June 18, 2021
How I Came to Love My Grandma’s “Ugly” SAS Shoes
Because of our sole connection around the longtime San Antonio company, I am apparently on trend.
Energy
June 18, 2021
What Is Wrong With the Texas Grid?
Our electric system can’t deliver the power we need when we need it most. But political leaders don't seem all that interested in fixing the problem.
Politics & Policy
June 17, 2021
Meet the Two Latinas From the Rio Grande Valley Guiding Biden’s Political Strategy
Texas Democrats felt slighted by the president’s campaign in 2020, but Emmy Ruiz and Natalie Montelongo have given them a voice in the White House.
Libations
June 17, 2021
A Hot and Thirsty Texan’s Guide to the Most Refreshing Shapes of Ice
When ERCOT doesn't want you to turn your thermostat below 82, frozen water is all you have.
Travel & Outdoors
June 17, 2021
Seven Outstanding Parks for Riding or Renting Horses
Hoof it to these parks with your steed (or someone else's).
Travel & Outdoors
June 17, 2021
Holy Smoke! Texas Has Actual Volcanoes. Here’s Where to See Ten of Them.
They’ve been extinct for millions of years, so you'll just need a little imagination—and this handy guide.
Travel & Outdoors
June 17, 2021
Texas Parks by Horseback Offer a Whole Other View
Equestrians can ride their own steeds, or in a few cases rent them, on public lands across the state.
Country Notes
June 17, 2021
A Forgotten Burial Site in Presidio Tells the Story of a Disappearing Border History
A small group fights to save a cemetery and what remains of a Lipan Apache existence in the Big Bend.
Art
June 17, 2021
One Person’s Street Junk Is Jesse Lott’s Fine Art
A 2022 Texas state artist makes his life work from Houston's urban frontier.
State of Mind
June 17, 2021
State of Mind, Episode 1: The Lion Tamer
On the debut episode of ‘State of Mind,’ associate editor Cat Cardenas tells the sometimes-magical story of her grandfather and how he built a life in Texas.
BBQ Joint Reviews
June 16, 2021
An Oasis Rises in a North Texas Barbecue Desert—but Only on Saturdays
With Treviño’s Craft Smokehouse, a former oilman brings solid barbecue and creative sides to Possum Kingdom Lake, one day per week.
Film & TV
June 16, 2021
Unsung Music Legend Tom Wilson Is Finally Getting His Own Movie
The Waco-born producer, instrumental to the careers of Bob Dylan, The Velvet Underground, and Frank Zappa, is the subject of an upcoming biopic.
Art
June 16, 2021
Meet the Artist Behind Galveston’s New Juneteenth Mural
Reginald Adams led the team that designed ‘Absolute Equality,’ a landmark mural marking the spot where slavery was abolished in Texas.
Film & TV
June 16, 2021
Renée Elise Goldsberry Talks ‘Girls5eva,’ ‘Hamilton,’ and Her Renaissance-Woman Career
The Houston-raised actress has conquered Broadway and television. Now she’s about to smash music—and Marvel’s ‘She-Hulk’ series.
Books
June 15, 2021
Set After the Civil War, ‘The Sweetness of Water’ Is Eerily Relevant
Austin author Nathan Harris dazzles in his first novel, which explores racial violence, family, and identity.
Food & Drink
June 15, 2021
Frosty Paletas Put Summer’s Heat on Ice
Find happiness on a stick at these five Texas paleterías.
Sponsored
June 15, 2021
Can We Predict the Future of Healthcare?
HCA Houston Healthcare and its partners are determined to reach more people with the best care possible—now and in the future.
Sports
June 15, 2021
Simone Biles’s NFL Safety Boyfriend: “I Didn’t Know Who She Was”
The Houston Texans’ Jonathan Owens on falling for the Olympic gymnast during the pandemic and watching her compete in person for the first time.
News & Politics
June 15, 2021
David Leebron Regrets Nothing
The Rice University president recently announced his retirement after eighteen years of advances and controversies.
Energy
June 15, 2021
Did Lawmakers Fix Texas’s Electric Grid?
Governor Greg Abbott said the Lege has done everything necessary to prevent future blackouts. We ask four experts whether that’s true.
Best and Worst Legislators
June 15, 2021
2021: The Best and Worst Legislators
A wild year begat an even wilder legislative session. Lawmakers faced blackouts, a pandemic, and their own worst impulses. Amid the chaos, we plucked out the leaders—and the losers.
Best Thing in Texas
June 14, 2021
Swimmers, Rejoice: Balmorhea State Park Is Reopening
A West Texas oasis, the world's largest spring-fed pool has been closed for the better part of three years.
Film & TV
June 14, 2021
Donny Cates’s ‘God Country’ Movie Will Bring Superheroes to Texas
The Austin-based artist is adapting his West Texas–set tale for the screen.
Travel & Outdoors
June 14, 2021
Six Great Spots on the River Walk for Fiesta—Or Anytime
You can’t beat these San Antonio bars, hotels, and restaurants for water views and hospitality.
Tacos
June 14, 2021
Houston’s Tres Artfully Blends Mexican and Middle Eastern Food
Don’t miss the Hummus a la Mexicana.
The Texanist
June 14, 2021
The Texanist: Is There a Formula for Picking Out a Cowboy Hat That Doesn’t Make You Look Like a Fool?
A Houston man wants to get the width of his brim just right.
Sports
June 14, 2021
No Joy at Minute Maid Park
Lingering anger over the Houston Astros cheating scandal has turned a day at the ballpark into a powder keg of fan misbehavior.
Being Texan
June 14, 2021
Texas First: The Night I Went Two-stepping With the Gilleyrats
One lucky night of dancing with the masters unlocked a new appreciation of the craft.
True Crime
June 14, 2021
Pecos Jane Has a Name
The young woman who mysteriously drowned in the Ropers Motel pool in 1966 might have remained anonymous forever, if not for cutting-edge genetics, old-fashioned genealogy—and the kindness of a small West Texas town.
News & Politics
June 12, 2021
What Webb County’s Medical Examiner Has Learned From the Dead
Along the border, forensic experts such as Corinne Stern have dealt with a surge in migrant deaths during the Biden administration.
Film & TV
June 11, 2021
Chris Harrison Was Part of the Bachelor Franchise’s Problem
The Dallas native’s departure as host is the end of an era. And a welcome start to a new one.
Health
June 11, 2021
The Changing Face of Veganism
Black Texans are embracing plant-based diets that, though widely associated with educated young whites, have long been part of African American culture.
Where to Stay Now
June 11, 2021
Where to Stay, Eat, and Retreat in East Texas
In Jacksonville, Palestine, and Tyler, local entrepreneurs cater to tourists looking for luxury (and a very fine slice of pie) amid the Piney Woods farms and fields.
Film & TV
June 11, 2021
‘12 Mighty Orphans’ Is the Cornball Texas Football Movie We Need Right Now
The film, based on a true Fort Worth story and starring Dallas native Luke Wilson, is a welcome post-pandemic balm.
Film & TV
June 10, 2021
Bachelor Franchise Host Chris Harrison Was Great Until He Wasn’t
The Dallas native’s departure as host of the ABC reality series is a shake-up that viewers didn’t know they needed.
Film & TV
June 10, 2021
Jensen Ackles Is Finally Realizing His Superhero Dreams as Soldier Boy
The Richardson-bred actor and former ‘Supernatural’ star has two major roles this year, after a lifetime of near-misses.
Dining Guide
June 10, 2021
Dining Guide: Highlights From Our June 2021 Issue
What to order for takeout at restaurants around the state, plus some pro tips.
BBQ Joint Reviews
June 9, 2021
JW’s Barbecue Is Here to Fill the ’Cue Void in Jacksonville
With apple pie–spiced ribs, juicy brisket, and a rare offering of fresh vegetables, the new joint is a worthy stop in East Texas.
Film & TV
June 9, 2021
Jeff Nichols Is the Perfect Director for the Next ‘A Quiet Place’
The Texas filmmaker has built his career on escalating tension and dread.
Energy
June 9, 2021
Griddy Argues It Was, in Fact, a Champion of Consumers
The much-maligned—now bankrupt and outlawed—electricity provider offered just the sort of experiment Texas’s energy deregulation sought.
Critters
June 9, 2021
Red Wolves Are on the Brink of Extinction, but a Texas Breeding Program May Help Them Make a Comeback
Fewer than twenty red wolves remain in the wild. At Fossil Rim Wildlife Center in Glen Rose, biologists are trying to change that.
Sports
June 8, 2021
New Book Shows Astros Kept Cheating After 2018
In ‘Cheated,’ Andy Martino reports that Houston’s sign-stealing scheme continued through the 2019 MLB playoffs.
TM BBQ Club
June 8, 2021
Burning Questions With Fargo’s Pit BBQ
Fargo’s Pit BBQ first entered the Texas Monthly barbecue scene back in 2013, when pitmaster Alan Caldwell first showed us his straight-shooting character in an interview with barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn. It wasn’t until the next year that Alan even allowed us a look at his mysterious