An Ode to Austin’s Unsung Proletariat
A new novel about workers at an organic grocery store asks us to consider questions of labor and dignity in the Texas capital.
Reviews
The Texas Observer Lives!
After a terrifying near-death experience, we live to muckrake another day.
Confronting Queer Oppression in Moscow … And America
Queendom, a documentary that recently premiered at the SXSW film festival, should leave viewers—especially LGBTQ+ viewers—shaken.
True Crime’s Ethical Dilemma
What begins as a search for a murder ends as a hard look at the murky ethics of "nonfiction" crime storytelling.
A Border Crossing with the Devil
Hail Mary, which premiered at this year’s SXSW Film Festival, reframes the immigration crisis through a supernatural, biblical lens.
Haunting the Border
"Deadland," which premiered at SXSW, is a surreal father-son migration movie that will linger with you.
Before ‘Lawrence’: From Sodomy to Queer Liberation
Wesley G. Phelps’ new history book reveals how gay persecution in the Lone Star State spurred the struggle for LGBTQ+ civil rights nationwide.
Bingeworthy Shows from a Red State Star
Taylor Sheridan’s macho streaming universe may get “repetitive” at times but it’s not as obviously conservative as some suggest.
Lost Children—A Texas Tragedy
A riveting new book about foster care and adoption exposes just how the state lost six kids to out-of-state mothers who murdered them.
In Mo, I See Me
A new Netflix series filmed in Houston provides laughter and insights into the immigrant experience.