[See the Postscripts archive for 120 articles by Clay Smith.]

Journalist George Crile on His 'Charlie Wilson's War' [books feature, 06-27-03]
Journalist George Crile believes that "something about Texas and its oil heritage seems to permit its citizens to reinvent their histories and to carry out their lives as if they were part of an ongoing theatrical experience." So, how does this relate to legendary Lufkin Congressman Charlie Wilson, the CIA, and Afghanistan?

Rectangular Packages With Ribbons [books feature, 12-13-02]
"Judging from the places he visited in Texas, he is clearly one New Yorker who believed, or at least wanted to document, the myths Texans tell themselves," writes Clay Smith of Garry Winogrand's photographs in Winogrand 1964.

Big Mischief [books feature, 11-01-02]
Like the protagonist in his latest novel, Miss Spellbinder's Point of View, novelist Edward Swift is still battling the "disease of the literal minded."

Man Walks Into a Room [book review, 08-23-02]

Arthur Phillips' Prague [book review, 07-12-02]

Farewell [books feature, 06-07-02]
Books Editor Clay Smith says farewell in a final column.

Never on Sunday [video review, 06-07-02]

Summer Reading [books feature, 05-31-02]
The Last American Man

Summer Reading [books feature, 05-31-02]
The Emperor of OceanPark

Summer Reading [books feature, 05-31-02]
Fluff or Fancy?

Summer Reading [books feature, 05-31-02]
The Count and the Confession

Steven Saylor's Ancient Habit [books feature, 05-24-02]
Steven Saylor's series of mysteries set in ancient Rome is one of the best mystery series being published today.

Recommended [books feature, 05-24-02]

Book Review [books feature, 05-17-02]

Borderline Vaudeville [music feature, 05-10-02]
Bill Crawford and Gene Fowler go off-off-off Broadway with Border Radio.

Those Were the Days [books feature, 04-26-02]
Earlier this spring, University of Texas Press began publishing a series of books about politics in Texas. Because the editors of the series, which is spearheaded by Don Carleton, the director of UT's Center for American History, understand that it's more interesting to read about underdogs than the ruling class, all three books in the series are about Texas liberals. Here's a brief overview of the series.

Recommended [books feature, 04-26-02]

One City, Three Books [books feature, 04-19-02]
Austin's become a popular place for public reading programs.

David Douglas Duncan [arts review, 04-12-02]
David Douglas Duncan inaugurated the David Douglas Duncan Endowed Lecture Series in Photojournalism by talking about his dog Yo-Yo, a small terrier, and providing the audience with an intimate and entertaining slide show from one of the world's master photographers.

Recommended [books feature, 04-12-02]

New in Print [books feature, 04-12-02]
Coffeetable book Great Women of Film touches upon the difficulties women face in Hollywood, but it's actually an invaluable primer for anyone who wants to work in film.

Notes of an Old Leftist [politics feature, 04-12-02]
Lone Star liberal Dave Richards releases his memoir at the Scholz Garten to much fanfare.

Adventures in Crime and Space Closes [books feature, 04-05-02]

Recommended [books feature, 04-05-02]

A 'Bullet' to the Gut [books feature, 03-29-02]
In The Bullet Meant for Me, his new memoir, Texas Monthly writer Jan Reid explains why he went to Mexico and was forced to return as a changed man.

One State, One Book, One Woman [books feature, 03-29-02]

Recommended [books feature, 03-29-02]

Molto Agitato: The Mayhem Behind the Music at the Metropolitan Opera [music review, 03-29-02]

New In Paperback [books feature, 03-22-02]

Curtain Call [screens feature, 03-22-02]
By Hook or by Crook

Penelope Lively's Unfortunate Englishness [books feature, 03-15-02]
Booker Prize-winning author Penelope Lively visits her archives at the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center.

Recommended [books feature, 03-15-02]

Eric Schlosser at BookPeople [food review, 03-15-02]

SXSW Film Reviews [screens feature, 03-15-02]
Looking for Leonard

[screens feature, 03-15-02]
See How They Run

SXSW Film Reviews [screens feature, 03-15-02]
Mai's America

Remembering Huff [books feature, 03-08-02]
Albert Huffstickler, who died last week, displayed the human heart and soul in all its naked neediness. We've gleaned some comments from the memories of poets and friends who knew Huff and his work -- poetic impressions that speak to a deeper truth than the facts.

Recommended [books feature, 03-08-02]

Social Studies [politics feature, 03-08-02]
The Austin Men's Project turns three -- and says goodbye to one of its original coordinators.

Pick of the Litter [screens feature, 03-08-02]
MAI'S AMERICA

Pick of the Litter: 'Hell House' [screens feature, 03-08-02]
Here is the House, Here is the Steeple: 'Hell House'

Farewells to Albert Huffstickler and Ed Eakin [books feature, 03-01-02]
Books Editor Clay Smith marks the recent passing of poet Albert Huffstickler and publisher Ed Eakin.

Recommended [books feature, 03-01-02]

It Should Happen to You [video review, 03-01-02]
Judy Holliday's expertly hilarious It Should Happen to You was created when the idea that someone could be famous for doing absolutely nothing at all was still novel and strange.

John Steinbeck: The Centennial [books feature, 02-22-02]
The HRC is throwing a party for John Steinbeck's centennial.

Recommended [books feature, 02-22-02]

Stupid White Guilt [politics feature, 02-15-02]

Recommended [books feature, 02-08-02]

Sloppy Mr. Cunningham Speaks [books feature, 02-08-02]
The surprising things Michael Cunningham said when he gave a reading at UT last week

Miguel and the Miracles [cuisines feature, 02-08-02]
Why Austin's most revered restaurant, Fonda San Miguel, is still in business against all odds.

Hostess With the Mostess [cuisines feature, 02-08-02]

Love and a VCR [screens feature, 02-08-02]

The Pine Curtain [books feature, 02-01-02]
First-time author Dina Temple-Raston's A Death in Texas pulls the James Byrd Jr. murder out of the East Texas woods.

More From the Local Bookstore [music feature, 02-01-02]

Friend of the Family [books feature, 01-25-02]
In Thomas Mallon's new nonfiction book, the strangest figure in the JFK assassination is the most honest one.

The Great American Drug Book [books feature, 01-18-02]
How Robert Sabbag set out to write the Great American Novel but ended up becoming the nation's best chronicler of the drug trade.

Books Top 10s [books feature, 01-04-02]

Books Top 10s [books feature, 01-04-02]

Books Top 10s [books feature, 01-04-02]

Books Top 10s [books feature, 01-04-02]

Books Top 10s [books feature, 01-04-02]

Books Top 10s [books feature, 01-04-02]

Books Top 10s [books feature, 01-04-02]

Books Top 10s [books feature, 01-04-02]

Books Top 10s [books feature, 01-04-02]

Books Top 10s [books feature, 01-04-02]

Behind the Screens [screens feature, 12-28-01]
Behind the Screen

Still Lives [arts feature, 12-21-01]
Kate Breakey talks to Clay Smith about why she photographs dead birds and flowers and other animals.

Edmund Morris' 'Theodore Rex' [books feature, 12-21-01]
Edmund Morris was spanked by critics in 1999 for introducing a fictional contemporary of Ronald Reagan's in Dutch to help explain the trajectory of that president's life. Now the second volume of Morris' study of Theodore Roosevelt has been published, and it's apparent all over again why he is one of the nation's best biographers.

A Sense of Place [books feature, 12-14-01]
The focus on regional studies at Southwest Texas State University pays off with a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Pages as Presents [books feature, 12-07-01]
'Strange Stories': Strangely Irresistible

Pages as Presents [books feature, 12-07-01]
Getting a Little Personal

Also in Bookstores ... [books feature, 12-07-01]
The Sibley Guide to Bird Life & Behavior

Also in Bookstores ... [books feature, 12-07-01]
Hank Williams: Snapshots From the Lost Highway

Also in Bookstores ... [books feature, 12-07-01]
The National Enquirer: Thirty Years of UnforgettableImages

Also in Bookstores ... [books feature, 12-07-01]
Midsummer Snowballs

Table Topplers [screens feature, 12-07-01]
'Marlene Dietrich: Photographs and Memories

Table Topplers [screens feature, 12-07-01]
Marty Jurow Seein' Stars: A Show Biz Odyssey

History by the Tape [books feature, 11-30-01]
LBJ's secret White House tapes reveal more than he may have intended

Texas Book Festival Wrap-Up [books feature, 11-23-01]
Saturday, November 17

New Fest [books feature, 11-16-01]
Why the Texas Book Festival decided to loosen its criteria this year.

New Fest [books feature, 11-16-01]
Mark Jude Poirier and His Misfits

Bud Shrake: Touched by an Angel? [books feature, 11-02-01]
Bud Shrake has been communing with angels since he was a child, but why?

Dead Man Blues [music feature, 10-26-01]
7-CD box set contains all anyone could ever want to know about Charley Patton.

Revenant Records Discography [music feature, 10-26-01]

The Tenth Annual "Austin Chronicle' Short Story Contest Results [books feature, 10-19-01]

A Way of Life, Like Any Other [screens feature, 10-19-01]
Darcy O'Brien's recently reissued, autobiographical Hollywood novel A Way of Life, Like Any Other is part satire, part insightful coming-of-age tale, and entirely funny.

The American Voice [books feature, 09-21-01]
Where the Stress Falls

Arthur the Absurdist [books feature, 09-21-01]

Where Dead Voices Gather [music review, 09-21-01]
Sheet Music

Life After Death [books feature, 08-31-01]
A new life for almost-forgotten author Mary Gavell

New Hope for Charles Willeford [books feature, 08-31-01]

Fun for the Whole Family [screens feature, 08-24-01]
Fun for the Whole Family: The 14th Annual Austin Gay & Lesbian International Film Festival

Fun for the Whole Family [screens feature, 08-24-01]
Adventures of Felix: Traveling Light

Fun for the Whole Family [screens feature, 08-24-01]
Brother Born Again

Fun for the Whole Family [screens feature, 08-24-01]
Queen of the Whole Wide World

Mark Danielewski and POE in Dallas [books event, 08-10-01]
What happened when Mark Danielewski and his rock star sister POE showed up at a branch of the Dallas Public Library

The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint [book review, 08-10-01]

Summer Reading [books feature, 07-27-01]
A Cold Case

Summer Reading [books feature, 07-27-01]
The Columnist

Summer Reading [books feature, 07-27-01]
Carousel of Progress

Summer Reading [books feature, 07-27-01]
Come Up and See Me Sometime: Stories

Rufus Wainwright Poses [record review, 07-27-01]

Thank God It's Friday [screens feature, 07-20-01]
UT grad Christian McLaughlin discusses Spyder Games, his MTV "soap opera on crack."

Fearless Jones [book review, 07-13-01]

Sarah Bird Reviewed [books feature, 06-22-01]

Their Gay Movies [screens feature, 06-22-01]
The Austin Gay and Lesbian International Film Festival presents the First Annual My Gay Movie Challenge, a call for amateur movies with a queer sensibility.

Ms. Unruly [books feature, 05-04-01]
Marion Winik gives advice?

The Hard Sell [books feature, 04-27-01]

Food for Thought [cuisines feature, 04-27-01]
Ken Rubin, Culinary Scholar

Modern Taste [books feature, 04-13-01]
"There are these conundrums," Steven Watson said at lunch the day before he headed off to the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center at UT to try and unravel some of them. Clarifying the enigmas of modernism and avant-garde artists is something that Watson has become quite proficient at.

Related Reading [books feature, 04-13-01]

Guys Like Me [music feature, 04-06-01]
Was America Really Made for Dick Price?

The Art of Being Dagoberto Gilb [books feature, 03-23-01]
What's a successful writer like Dagoberto Gilb got against the establishment?

Adventures in the Book Trade [books feature, 03-09-01]
In Search of the McSweeney's Ethos

SXSW Film Picks [screens feature, 03-09-01]
How's Your News?*

Making a Living, Making a Life [books feature, 02-02-01]
Judging from the coverage he has been receiving, the most popular story trailing Robert Reich as he travels around the nation talking about his new book The Future of Success is an entirely personal one. Books Editor Clay Smith interviews the former Clinton administration secretary of labor and finds out a few other stories about the popularizing public intellectual.

Notes on Mad Dogs [books feature, 01-26-01]
If you were young, talented, and a little crazy in the old Austin, you may have answered to the bizarre title of "Mad Dog."

Social Studies [books feature, 01-19-01]
James Hynes' satires of academia allow the author to say funny things about serious people.

Making Lists [books feature, 01-05-01]

Making Lists [books feature, 01-05-01]
Clay Smith

Remembrance of Texas Past [books feature, 01-05-01]
The Year in Texas Lit

True Hollywood Stories [screens feature, 12-15-00]
A copy of this compilation of celebrity interviews should be sent to everyone who works at Entertainment Tonight and Dateline NBC.

The Full Franklin [books feature, 12-01-00]
It's been 60 years since a biograpy of Benjamin Franklin has been written; Austin author H.W. Brands' The First American: The Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin makes up for lost time.

My Life With Benjamin Franklin [books feature, 12-01-00]
Related Readings

Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation [books feature, 12-01-00]
Related Readings

Wit and Wisdom From Poor Richard's Almanack [books feature, 12-01-00]
Related Readings

World of Books [books feature, 11-10-00]
The Fifth Annual Texas Book Festival takes place this weekend, and, once again, it should prove to be the best use of the State Capitol all year long.

World of Books [books feature, 11-10-00]
Mitch Cullin

Terms of Enqueerment [politics feature, 11-10-00]
What happened when gay Austinites decided to come out of gay bars and into straight ones

The Neal Pollack Anthology of American Literature [book review, 10-27-00]

The Slate Diaries [book review, 10-27-00]

Texas Death Row Reviewed [politics feature, 10-20-00]

The Greatest of Marlys [book review, 10-06-00]

Chronicles [features feature, 09-29-00]
The Ninth Annual Austin Chronicle Short Story Contest

Liz Carpenter Reviewed [best of austin feature, 09-15-00]

Graphically Speaking [books feature, 09-08-00]
People in the publishing industry call them "funny books." We call them graphic novels, and they're "funny" in quite a few ways.

Amy Bloom Reviewed [books feature, 08-25-00]

Out and About [screens feature, 08-25-00]
101 Rent Boys: Love for Sale

Oberammergau: The Troubling Story of the World's Most Famous Passion Play [book review, 08-04-00]

American Rhapsody [book review, 07-28-00]

By the Book [books feature, 07-21-00]
Driving Mr. Albert: A Trip Across America With Einstein's Brain

Defining the Name of the World [books feature, 07-07-00]
Denis Johnson's new novel is about grief, but told anew, as if we didn't know anything about it.

Book Reviews [books feature, 06-02-00]
The Cabal and Other Stories

Book Reviews [books feature, 06-02-00]
Stork Club: America's Most Famous Nightspot and the Lost World of Cafe Society

Jim the Boy: A Novel [book review, 06-02-00]

The Springboard in the Pond: An Intimate History of the Swimming Pool [book review, 05-26-00]

Instant Classic [screens feature, 05-19-00]
The Lady Vanishes (1938)

Instant Classic [screens feature, 05-19-00]
Rear Window (1954)

Puns of Steel [books feature, 05-12-00]
There's a science to interpreting puns; just ask audience members at the 23rd Annual O. Henry Pun-Off World Championships.

Habits of Mind [books feature, 04-21-00]
Texas has a wealth of universities and colleges that offer creative writing classes, but four of them -- the University of Texas at Austin, Southwest Texas State University, University of Texas at El Paso, and the University of Houston -- offer Masters of Fine Arts degrees in creative writing. Here's all the information about each program you could hope to find.

The Devil and Sonny Liston [book review, 04-21-00]

Lost City [books feature, 04-07-00]
Steven Saylor's Austin Murder Mystery, A Twist at the End: A Novel of O. Henry

God's Favorite: A Novel [book review, 03-24-00]

Reflections [screens feature, 03-24-00]
Dropping Out

Reflections [screens feature, 03-24-00]
A Sign From God

Ingres in Fashion: Representations in Dress and Appearance in Ingres's Images of Women [book review, 03-17-00]

Reflections [screens feature, 03-17-00]
The Woman Chaser

Reflections [screens feature, 03-17-00]
From Swastika to Jim Crow

Bizarre Talents [books feature, 03-10-00]
The strange road to success of former Austin bookseller Lynn Bender.

The Road to Damascus [features feature, 03-10-00]
The story behind Paul Stekler and Daniel McCabe's documentary George Wallace:Settin' the Woods on Fire

Benevolent Agitator [books feature, 02-11-00]
Jim Hightower's undiluted populism is wittty, rousing, and engaging, Clay Smith asserts in a review of Hightower's new book If the Gods Had Meant Us to Vote, They Would Have Given Us Candidates

In Person: Helen Ellis at BookPeople [books event, 02-11-00]
Helen Ellis' serious satire Eating the Cheshire Cat resonated in some unique ways with the audience at her reading at BookPeople last week.

A Place of Her Own [books feature, 02-04-00]
In her two short story collections, Lasting Attachments and Crossing Shattuck Bridge, Annette Sanford can be laugh-out-loud funny, poignant, and tragic, sometimes in the same breath. But she couldn't do it if she lived in the city. The country is indelibly her metier.

Bibliomania [books feature, 01-07-00]
Introduction

Coffeetable Books [books feature, 12-24-99]
Keepers of the Kingdom: The Ancient Offices of Britain

Coffeetable Books [books feature, 12-17-99]
Local News: Tabloid Pictures From the Los Angeles Herald Express, 1936-1961

Coffeetable Books [books feature, 12-17-99]
Boring Postcards

The History of Counting reviewed [books feature, 12-10-99]

When Angels Sing: A Christmas Story [book review, 11-26-99]

Texas Book Festival Wrap-Up [books feature, 11-12-99]
The harmonies and seeming dissonances of last weekend's Texas Book Festival

A World of Texas [books feature, 11-05-99]
Profiles of seven writers attending this year's Texas Book Festival

Annette Sanford [books feature, 11-05-99]

In Person: Edmund Morris at BookPeople [books event, 11-05-99]
Last week Edmund Morris, the author of Dutch: A Memoir of Ronald Reagan, read from his controversial biography at BookPeople; Clay Smith reports from the scene.

Ethel & Ernest: A True Story [book review, 11-05-99]

Book Reviews [books feature, 10-29-99]

In Person: Gregg Cantrell and the Sons of the Republic of Texas [books event, 10-29-99]
Gregg Cantrell and the Sons of the Republic of Texas

Counter Culture Texas [book review, 10-29-99]
Short reviews of recently published books.

Tom Grimes' The Workshop reviewed [books feature, 10-22-99]

Direct Hit [books feature, 10-08-99]
Why are Tupperware-style home parties where children�s books are sold putting booksellers on the defensive?

The Art of Conversation [politics feature, 09-24-99]
Austin Men's Project encourages young gay men to hone their social -- and safe sex -- skills through communication

Stories on the Verge [features feature, 09-17-99]
The Eighth Annual Austin Chronicle Short Story Contest: Introduction

Splash Across Texas! [book review, 09-10-99]