Texas Monthly (1-year) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I agree with some of what all the other reviewers have stated. I, too, am a Texas native who has subscribed for nearly 15 years (and read my father's for 10 years before that) and have seen the mag's quality ebb and flo. As copyKat states, the magazine doesn't seem to know who its target audience is (i.e. upscale, politically savvy, middle-or-the-road, city dweller/suburban, etc.) The political and investigatory writing is still top-notch. This state has a lot of problems and the magazine does not try to simply gloss them over. However, some (ok, many) of the 'fluff' pieces leave me wondering why they were included in the first place. Like ducksquat, I also dislike having to stop an article in mid-paragraph to hunt down the continuation on page 97.
I travel throughout the state and appreciate the restaurant reviews and cultural 'to-do' lists. I also enjoy the mix of current and historical events. I also very much like Kinky Friedman's Last Roundup (I think I'm in a minority, tho). The annual Bum Steer Awards are usually worth the subscription price alone.
My biggest gripe is with the 20- to 30-page 'special advertising section' every single month. What used to be a once- or twice-a-year occurance is now in every issue. I know we (the subscribers) don't keep magazines afloat- the advertisers do - but still...The magazine at times looks (and smells) like my wife's Vogue.
Overall, Texas Monthly is a good magazine. The state is so big (physically, culturally and politically) that I am sure it is hard to find a good balance of articles every month. Other than the politics-only rags like the 'Texas Observer' and the usually horrible 'city' magazines ('D' or 'Inside Houston') TM is all we have; they usually put out a good magazine. Changes in ownership and editorial staffs over the recent past have slightly changed the magazine's direction every couple of years, but I like the current editing team. And, Texas Monthly keeps winning awards.
Consider my, dusksquat's, copykat's, Karen's, and Sheila's reviews before buying a subscription. Then subscribe anyway.

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Texas Monthly has been the authority on the Texas scene since 1973, covering music, arts, travel, restaurants and events with its insightful recommendations. Above all, Texas Monthly provides its readers with a magazine of the highest editorial quality, a standard that has earned it9 National Magazine Awards, the industry's most coveted prize.

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