In a year that included both devastating losses from Hurricane Harvey and a thrilling World Series win, the Lone Star state has experienced plenty to write about in 2017. And from exoneration to Whole Foods to one scientist’s fight against the anti-vaccination movement, Texas Monthly writers have written enough longform to carry you through the rest of the year. So settle in and start reading—we’ll be bringing you more tales of Texas in 2018.
The Prisoner, by Skip Hollandsworth
Late one night in 1991, a twelve-year-old boy pulled out a gun and killed a cab driver on the East Side of San Antonio. Twenty-five years later, Edwin Debrow remains in prison for that murder, with fifteen more years left on his sentence. Is that justice? And is there room for mercy?
There and Back Again, by Jason Cohen
In 1962 Terry Allen left Lubbock to pursue what he couldn’t imagine ever happening in his hometown: a life as an artist. More than fifty years later, the sculptor, painter, playwright, and musician behind Juarez and Lubbock (On Everything) is ready for a return.
The Faces of Obamacare, by Michael Hall
For many Americans, the controversial health law is government run amok. But for these people in San Antonio, it’s been a lifesaver.
The Trouble With Innocence, by Michael Hall
For almost forty years, Kerry Max Cook did everything to clear his name after being convicted of a horrifying murder in Tyler. So when he was finally exonerated, why did he ask for his conviction back?
3,822 Miles, by Rick Bass
One man’s quest to fly the length of Texas’s perimeter and capture the nature of our boundaries.
The Not-So-Secret Life of Terrence Malick, by Eric Benson
The world’s most private director turns his lens on the place where he’s always been most public: Austin.
The Empathy of David Brown, by Michael J. Mooney
In the turbulent days after a gunman murdered five officers last year, the Dallas police chief was the voice of compassion and unity that the city and country needed. The way he sees it, his entire life had been preparing him for that moment.
Bad Girls Get Old, by Jason Stanford
Thirty years ago, Jo Carol Pierce turned her Lubbock upbringing into a sublime musical about sex, suicide, and Jesus. Now 72, she’s ready for her third act.
Welcome to the Green Machine, by John Nova Lomax
My son was jobless, directionless, and apartmentless. So when he decided to join the Army, we were just glad he was out of the house. What we didn’t know was just how much the military would change him—and us.
The Shelf Life of John Mackey, by Tom Foster
Whole Foods’ eccentric founder changed the way Americans consume food. Can he survive the Wall Street forces that now want to consume him?
The Day the Fire Came, by Skip Hollandsworth
A tale of love and loss on the Panhandle plains.
The Drug Runners, by Ryan Goldberg
The Tarahumara of northern Mexico became famous for their ability to run incredibly long distances. In recent years, cartels have exploited their talents by forcing them to ferry drugs into the U.S. Now, with their land ravaged by violence, they’re running for their lives.
Voices From the Storm, by Texas Monthly staff
The story of Hurricane Harvey, as told by 28 Texans who helped their state through its darkest hour.
How the World Series Finally Vindicated Astros Fans, by John Nova Lomax
There’s been years of heartbreak. That’s what makes the Astros’ World Series win so sweet.
Peter Hotez vs. Measles and the Anti-Vaccination Movement, by Laura Beil
Texas is at risk of a deadly measles outbreak, and yet few have been willing to cast blame on the state’s combative anti-vaccine movement. Enter Peter Hotez, an affable, bow-tie-wearing scientist who decided he’d had enough.
