Brian D. Sweany

Brian D. Sweany started out as an intern in the publisher’s office of TEXAS MONTHLY in January 1996 and was hired as a copy editor in the editorial department nine months later.

Born and raised outside of Dallas, Sweany earned a bachelor’s degree in English literature from the University of North Texas, in Denton, and a master’s degree in English literature from the University of Texas at San Antonio. He has also served as an assistant professor in the journalism department at Ithaca College, in Ithaca, New York.

Features

The 40 Best Small-Town Cafes

Our exhaustive, exhausting, strictly scientific (and lamentably fattening) survey of the finest home cooking around, from Maxine’s on Main, in Bastrop, to El Paraiso, in Zapata. (December 2008)

The Republic of Chad

Eight years ago, the closest presidential election ever was settled in a political street fight. In this oral history of the Florida recount, the victors recall the unbelievable twists and turns that put George W. Bush in the White House. (December 2008)

BBQ08

Eighteen hungry reviewers. 14,773 miles driven/flown. 341 joints visited. Countless bites of brisket, sausage, chicken, pork, white bread, potato salad, and slaw—and vats of sauce—ingested. There are only fifty slots on our quinquennial list of the best places to eat barbecue in Texas. Only five of those got high honors. And only one (you’ll never guess which one in a million years) is the best of the best. (June 2008)

Child’s Play

Summer vacation is right around the corner, but that doesn’t mean you should panic. We’ve rounded up 68 of our favorite things to do with your toddlers, teens, and every kid in between. Dance the hokey pokey. Rope a horse. Eat way too many hot dogs. Zip down a waterslide. And yes, feed the animals. (April 2008)

The Permanent Campaign

Elections disappear into the history books, but the buttons and matchbooks and posters that exhorted us to vote for one candidate or another live on in our memories—and in the personal collection of the state’s biggest political junkie. (January 2007)

Thank God It’s Friday

And Saturday. And Sunday. The arrival of fall means weekends spent watching football, up close and on-screen, and yet another opportunity to love the greatest game on earth for all the usual reasons. Forty-nine of them, in fact. (September 2006)

Water, Water Everywhere

From kayaking on Town Lake to mountain biking around Joe Pool Lake, from bass fishing on Lake Fork to horseback riding on the shores of Lake Whitney, here are some of our favorite things to do in, on, and around Texas lakes. (June 2006)

Game Boys

Staubach and Aikman, together at last. A Bum Phillips belly laugh. Jerry Levias, first and always. These and other heroes of Texas football, past and present, pose for a pigskin portfolio. (August 2002)

Horns Aplenty

Will this be the year that the University of Texas Longhorns—the most talented college football team in the country—win their first national title since 1970? Yes. Hook ’em. (August 2002)

Education • Rod Paige

Passing the test. (September 2000)

LBJ's Living Legacy

Exclusive photos of four generations of Johnsons—from Lady Bird to little Claudia Covert, age two—and sixteen members of LBJ's inner circle, plus their remembrances of a man whose powers of persuasion were truly awe-inspiring. (August 2000)

Over Time

Eleven years later, the Permian High School Panthers remember Friday Night Lights, the book that put them—and Odessa—on the map. (October 1999)

Full Nelson

(April 1998)

Where Are They Now?

Whatever happened to the 1971 Super Bowl–champion Cowboys? (August 1997)

Columns | Miscellany

Leppert Colony

In the ninth-largest city in America, boring is the new exciting. (August 2007)

Hartbroken

When general manager John Hart arrived in Arlington last November, he promised to turn the Texas Rangers into winners. Then the team got off to its worst start in history. Some things never change. (June 2002)

The Franchise

Is the Dallas Mavericks' Mark Cuban a pushy billionaire with a lust for publicity, or is he an energetic owner who has saved the team? Do we have to choose? (March 2002)

Green With Envy

The University of North Texas Mean Green Eagles had one of their most exciting football seasons ever last year. Too bad everyone was talking about UT. (February 2002)

Centered

When David Robinson opened a school for poor kids in September, he proved once again that he was San Antonio's most valuable player. (December 2001)

Less Is Moore

For almost four decades, G. A. Moore, Jr. has quietly gone about becoming the greatest high school football coach in Texas history. (November 2001)

The Ex-Mayors

(September 2001)

Dirty Thirty

(September 2001)

Nancy Lieberman-Cline

(September 2001)

Ken Hall

(September 2001)

Ronnie Dugger

(September 2001)

Craig Washington

(September 2001)

The “Sugarland Express” Gang

(September 2001)

The Dallas Cowboys' Ex-Quarterbacks

(September 2001)

Third and Long

R. C. Slocum is the winningest football coach in A&M history. So why are some Aggies hoping he gets sacked? (August 2001)

The Cash Machine

Texas Tech didn't hire Bobby Knight to win games—it hired him to make money. He should score big as long as he doesn't choke. (June 2001)

The Better Deal

Forget A-Rod's $252 million contract with the Texas Rangers. Jeff Bagwell of the Houston Astros has more important numbers to brag about. (April 2001)