AltWeeklies Wire
'American Earth' Offers Vivid View of the Evolution of Environmental Thinkingnew
American Earth comprises some 100 writings sure-handedly selected and introduced by editor Bill McKibben. Individual entries take a variety of forms, from book excerpts, essays, and speeches to straightforward reportage, memoir, and even poetry.
The Texas Observer |
John Suval |
09-24-2008 |
Nonfiction
The Obama Awakeningnew
No longer is it just a handful of blue-haired activists who show up at county party meetings. Young people and old people alike are not just voting for the first time, but also paying attention for the first time.
The Texas Observer |
Rachel Farris |
09-24-2008 |
Commentary
How Will W's Library Shape His Legacy?new
It's somewhat ironic that the Bush administration would create the first presidential library with a policy think tank attached. That has led some critics to wonder if the think tank will engage in genuine policy innovation or mainly try to shape Bush's legacy.
The Texas Observer |
Forrest Wilder |
09-24-2008 |
Politics
'Machiaveli's Shadow' Shows the Emperor's Architect Has No Clothesnew
Machiaveli's Shadow: The Rise and Fall of Karl Rove tells, for the first time, the story of how George W. Bush fired the adviser who had been with him since before he defeated Texas Gov. Ann Richards in 1994.
The Texas Observer |
Louis Dubose |
09-10-2008 |
Nonfiction
Texas' Booming Exotic Animal Trade Has Grim Consequencesnew
With little regulation, animal experts say tigers are increasingly being bred in the state, and that shelters and zoos are running out of resources to care for abandoned animals.
The Texas Observer |
Melissa del Bosque |
09-10-2008 |
Animal Issues
A New Documentary Chronicles a Family's Everyday Life in a Mexican Border Townnew
While the emotional connection between the filmmaking couple and their subjects made Intimidad possible, it also created dilemmas. Redmon and Sabin struggled to find a balance between documenting intimacy and maintaining respect for their subjects' privacy.
The Texas Observer |
Lydia Crafts |
09-10-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
DNC Report: Seeking Higher Ground in Denvernew
As the Democratic National Convention approached, questions fluttered like flags in Denver's thin air. Would aggrieved Hillary fans buy into party unity? Could the Clintons endorse Obama with conviction? Would Obama's acceptance speech be regarded as a gesture of openness, or give Republicans a chance to paint him as an egoist?
The Texas Observer |
Brad Tyer |
09-10-2008 |
Politics
The Beats Go On in 'Texas Music'new
The History of Texas Music is an anthropological study of Texas as examined through its diverse offering of folk music, offering a historical study of social, ethnic and geographical influence and how they have laid the groundwork for a thriving indie music scene.
The Texas Observer |
Michael Hoinski |
08-27-2008 |
Nonfiction
LBJ, The Texas Observer & Menew
The Texas Observer cut its teeth on LBJ and the politics of the late 1950s. In his drive to accrue power at the state and national levels, Johnson played on both sides of major issues and Ronnie was there to hold him accountable.
The Texas Observer |
Ronnie Dugger |
08-27-2008 |
Politics
Four Congressional Races Will Test the Democratic Resurgence in Texasnew
In a year where Republican is a four letter word, we explain the vulnerabilities of candidates in four key congressional districts in Texas -- and how the impending elections will provide a litmus test for the strength of Democratic resurgence.
The Texas Observer |
Staff |
08-27-2008 |
Politics
Charles R. Morris on the Madness of Bankersnew
Millions of words have been written about the ongoing financial disaster largely caused by the subprime mortgage mess. But the most concise and easiest to understand handbook on the issue is almost certainly Charles R. Morris' The Trillion Dollar Meltdown.
The Texas Observer |
Robert Bryce |
08-27-2008 |
Author Profiles & Interviews
Election '08: The Confusion Campaignnew
As we approach the national political conventions, we all know this promises to be a mean season. Has America transcended its racist past? We're about to find out. Or are we? The landscape is already so littered with political detritus that it's hard to find a reliable vantage point from which to get a clear view of the world.
The Texas Observer |
Geoff Rips |
08-13-2008 |
Commentary
After 36 Years Without, Some Residents of La Presa, Texas, Finally Get Electricitynew
For 36 years, the people in this dusty, sweltering colonia south of Laredo, have lived without electricity, potable water, or an adequate sewage system. Now an innovative experiment is bringing power to a dozen lucky residents. While the wheels of bureaucracy turned slowly or not at all, residents suffered, despite many applications for assistance from state and local government.
The Texas Observer |
Forrest Wilder |
08-13-2008 |
Housing & Development
Houston's Fady Joudah is a Poet Without Bordersnew
According to his champions, the Palestinian-American poet is one of the most accomplished and interesting poets to appear in the United States in some time.
The Texas Observer |
David Theis |
08-13-2008 |
Author Profiles & Interviews
The Gospel According to John Cornynnew
Nearly 40 percent of Texans wouldn't know their junior senator if he fell on them. But Cornyn's dull exterior masks one of the most conservative records in the U.S. Senate.
The Texas Observer |
Dave Mann |
08-13-2008 |
Politics
