“‘If you didn’t do it, I would still be there.’ His voice was weak with emotion.”
texas monthly
Best of 2023: Profiles
The profiles we loved in 2023 cover a Uvalde mom turned gun-control advocate, Ginni and Clarence Thomas, a love letter to Louisiana and two unrelated women born there in 1953, the man behind the Twitter persona “Dril,” and an underdog surfer nicknamed “Casual Luke.”
The G.O.A.T of Landscape Management? Goats.
“In cities across Texas, rugged ruminants are chowing down on the plants that plague us.”
The Great Cajun Turtle Heist
“Alligator snapping turtle populations in Texas were dwindling. One family of smugglers had been poaching them from the state for years.”
Will Speer Found Hope Enough to Share on Texas’s Death Row
“He’s one of the first faith-based coordinators for Texas inmates facing the death penalty. He’s scheduled to be executed this week.”
Ben Kweller is Playing Through the Pain
“There is nothing more out of your control than having a loved one taken away from you unexpectedly.”
Top 5 Longreads of the Week
This week we are sharing stories from Lana Hall, Benjamin Hale, Sarah Bird, Rachel Browne, and Tom Lamont.
Fahrenheit 105: Why I No Longer Love the Texas Heat
“I like to think I am Texas Tough when it comes to the heat. But lately, my fortitude has been tested.”
My Search for the Snow Monkeys of South Texas
“In the half century since a troop of Japanese macaques arrived in Texas, a truly wild tale has played out.”
The Texas Artist You Hope to Never Meet
“Self-trained muralist Roberto Marquez creates public art after mass shootings and other tragedies. Unfortunately for everyone, he’s been very busy.”