BILL MINUTAGLIO
Vita As of: August 2017
EDUCATION:
Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, 1977-1978, Masters of Science. Thesis: “The Indian American Community in New York City.”
Columbia University Graduate School of International Affairs, 1976-1977. Specialization in South Asian Studies.
Columbia University, Bachelor of Arts, History, 1973-1976.
ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS/AWARDS:
2007 - present: Clinical Professor, School of Journalism, College of Communication, University of Texas at Austin
2011: Recipient of the Regents’ Outstanding Teacher Award from The University of Texas System. From award letter: “Only a select number of faculty members, from across The University of Texas System, were chosen for this significant honor and the accompanying monetary award, and to win one of these awards is truly a remarkable achievement . . . . An external review committee comprised of highly experienced academic administrators, faculty members, Regents, and students evaluated the nominations based on several criteria.”
2013-2014: Fellow to the Heyne Professorship, College of Communication, University of Texas at Austin.
2012-2013: Fellow to the Everett Collier Chair in the College of Communication, University of Texas at Austin;
2010-2011: Fellow to the Everett Collier Chair in the College of Communication, University of Texas at Austin
2007 (spring): Lecturer, School of Journalism, College of Communication, University of Texas at Austin
BOOKS, DOCUMENTARY FILMS & RESEARCH:
**BOOKS – Commissioned by University of Texas Press to complete two volumes in the landmark “Texas Bookshelf Series” – which aims to create the definitive books on selected Texas topics. Minutaglio will write the book on “Texas business” and on “Texas politics.” A small handful of faculty members were asked to participate in the project. Minutaglio is the only professor to be asked to do two volumes. Publication tentatively set for 2019 for the first volume; 2020 for second volume.
**BOOK: (2017): “The Most Dangerous Man in America” – about Richard Nixon’s hunt for Timothy Leary, the counterculture figure and proponent of the disciplined use of LSD. Publisher: Twelve, a division of Hachette Publishing/Little Brown, etc. Film rights being negotiated by the United Talent Agency.
** BOOK: (2013): “Dallas 1963” -- about the political/cultural climate in the three years leading to the assassination of President Kennedy. Publisher: Twelve, a division of the Hachette Publishing/Little Brown, etc.
Winner: PEN CENTER USA award for Best Research/Nonfiction book of the year Winner: Texas Writers’ League award for Best Nonfiction book of the year
1. Amazon named “Dallas 1963” one of The Best Works of History for the year. 2. Kirkus named “Dallas 1963” one of The Best Books of The Year. 3. New Republic named “Dallas 1963” one of The Best Books of The Year. 4. The Washington Post (in the “The Fix” section) named “Dallas 1963” one of The Best Books of The Year. 5. The Daily Beast named “Dallas 1963” one The Five Essential Books to read about the Kennedy assassination (along with works by Norman Mailer, William Manchester and Don DeLillo). 6. Parade Magazine, the best read magazine in America, named “Dallas 1963” one of its Three Top JFK Books. 7. The Seattle Times named “Dallas 1963” one of The Best Books of The Year. 8. The Kansas City Star named “Dallas 1963” one of The Best Books of The Year. 9. The Daily Oklahoman named “Dallas 1963” one of The Favorite Books of The Year.
*The book has been cited and/or excerpted in dozens of venues around the world:
The New Yorker, The Washington Post, The New York Times, Die Welt (Germany), Irish Examiner, Montreal Times, The Sunday Times of London, Il Post (Italy), Faro de Vigo (Spain), Estadao (Brazil), NRK (Norway), Irish Times, Metro (France), Deutsche Welle (Germany), The Guardian (UK), National Public Radio, USA Today, etc.
Selected Reviews:
After fifty years, it’s a challenge to fashion a new lens with which to view the tragic events of November 22, 1963—yet Texans [Minutaglio and Davis] pull it off brilliantly. —Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
The many observances related to the 50th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination will come and go, but for those who want a more permanent reminder, there is Bill Minutaglio and Steven L. Davis’s lauded, new, conspiracy-free book, 'Dallas 1963.' —The New York Times
A chilling portrait... The accounts of events in 1963 unfold in the book like a thriller novel. — Associated Press
Luxuriant...potent — The New Yorker
For the 50th anniversary of John F. Kennedy’s assassination there are dozens of books coming. But the only one, for my money, that really distinguishes itself is this terrifying account of the potent blend of right-wing hysteria, subversive reactionaries, and violence that bubbled over in Dallas in the years before Oswald pulled the trigger. The scariest part: the paranoid right was as freaked out then as they are now.
—The Daily Beast
Bill Minutaglio and Steven L. Davis's DALLAS 1963 is a brilliantly written, haunting eulogy to John F. Kennedy. By exposing the right-wing hatred aimed at our 35th president, the authors demonstrates that America—not just Lee Harvey Oswald—was ultimately responsible for his death. Every page is an eye opener. Highly recommended!
—Douglas Brinkley, professor of history at Rice University and author of CRONKITE
[Minutaglio and Davis] so effectively set the scene in the years, months and weeks leading up to Nov. 22 that the assassination reads not as a historical abomination but as the logical result of the violence, paranoia and hate that preceded it.
—Austin American-Statesman
Mesmerizing...[General Edwin Walker] comes off as a real-life version of Jack D. Ripper from Dr. Strangelove, and that movie’s sense of dark comedy and menace permeates the real world of Dallas in this era. —Maclean's
Dallas 1963 stands out as a well-reported and unique contribution to a diverse and unwieldy canon of books about the assassination of President John F. Kennedy...Bill Minutaglio and Steven L. Davis evoke the murky, paranoid racial and political climate in Dallas that preceded the assassination. —Kirkus
"Published to coincide with the fiftieth anniversary of JFK’s assassination, this fine book proves that there is always something new to be said about that much- discussed subject." —Booklist
"Every great book season needs that one deeply researched non-fiction heavyweight, and this fall, it's DALLAS 1963, a collaboration between writers Bill Minutaglio and Steven L. Davis that should be enthralling catnip for history junkies." —Complex Pop Culture
"Minutaglio and Davis effectively tell that valuable story, chronically weaving together episodes and characters from 1960 to 1963...Dallas 1963 clearly explains why the city's leaders deserved the shame that followed."
—San Antonio Express-News "In this harrowing, masterfully-paced depiction of a disaster waiting to happen, Minutaglio and Davis examine a prominent American city in its now-infamous moment of temporary insanity. Because those days of partisan derangement look all too familiar today, DALLAS 1963 isn’t just a gripping narrative—it’s also a somber cautionary tale.”
—New York Times Magazine contributor and author Robert Draper
“The authors skillfully marry a narrative of the lead-up to the fateful day with portrayals of the Dixiecrats, homophobes, John Birchers, hate-radio spielers, and the ‘superpatriots’ who were symptomatic of the paranoid tendency in American politics.” — Times of London editor and author Sir Harold Evans
"Why was JFK assassinated in Dallas, of all places? Minutaglio and Davis answer that question...and even though we know what happened, getting to that last point is squirmy: my heart pounded, I wanted to yell 'WATCH OUT!' When you can immerse yourself in a book like that, it's always a good sign±—which is why I recommend this one."
—Las Vegas Review-Journal
" Vivid." —Detroit News
"Fascinating." —Kansas City Star
"A remarkable new book...The best examinations of history remind us that forces driving the events of, say 50 years ago, are...likely to re-form and gather strength anew." —Steve Robinson, "Do Events of 50 Years Ago Remind Us of Today's Front Page?"
**DOCUMENTARY FILM (2013): “CACTUS JACK: THE LEGACY OF JOHN NANCE GARNER.” Aired on the largest PBS stations in the nation. Seen by millions of viewers in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, etc. Screenwriter, script development, researcher, consultant for first major documentary on Vice President/Speaker of House Garner; collaboration with The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History at the University of Texas at Austin.
**BOOK, (2010): “In Search Of The Blues: A Journey To The Soul Of Black Texas,” University of Texas Press. A book that examines race in America, and the role that journalists play in covering race.
Honors: Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum, “Book It” Book Club Selection, 2011
Review: "It was like hearing, feeling music—It was like summoning smoke, something over there that you had to at least pursue, even if you had no damned clue—and would never have a clear understanding..." writes Minutaglio on why he loved to read Langston Hughes as a young Italian American in New York City, circa 1968. IN SEARCH OF THE BLUES is, in part, Minutaglio's homage to Hughes: through a sweeping collection of interviews and elegant insight into the generative power of place, the reporter gives voice to African Americans in some of the most neglected corners of America. From communities like Sand Branch in Southeastern Dallas, where "the simple act of raising a cup of water, maybe badly contaminated water, to your lips is never far from your mind," to rumbling blues clubs, Minutaglio's search for the soul of black Texas is relentless. OXFORD AMERICAN, SEPT. 2010
Review: "Bill Minutaglio writes about Texas with an intimacy honed over years of exploring neighborhoods and personalities during his residencies in Houston, Dallas, Abilene and San Antonio. Yet this well-known journalist won't be invited to contribute to the glossy travel magazines any time soon. That's because Minutaglio's favorite subjects are the very places that tourists – and even many long-time residents – avoid . . . .In each of these pieces, he pushes journalism to its limits . . . . a book as deeply felt and well written as this one has made a believer out of me . . . . This commitment to the story behind the story sets this book apart, and will keep you thinking – and feeling – long after you have put it down" The Dallas Morning News
Review: “You don't have to search for the blues because the blues always find you. In the introduction to his dazzling new collection of journalism, 'In Search of the Blues: A Journey to the Soul of Black Texas,' Bill Minutaglio anticipates this reaction when he writes, 'You can search for the blues and you will find them — or they will find you' . . . 'In Search of the Blues' is not only "a celebration of the blues, black culture and black Texans but a celebration of extraordinary journalism and writing." San Antonio Express-News
Review: “His writing is informed by a deep passion for the blues, and he works in a rhythmic, circular motion, gathering groups of words until, startlingly, they take flight. Minutaglio’s journalism has evolved into history, chronicling people and places that otherwise would have been lost.
“The theme of recovering lost history is present in In Search of the Blues. This volume collects Minutaglio’s best and most enduring writing about African Americans in Texas. From his report on a neglected community on the outskirts of Dallas, where running water remains a dream, to his profile of Percy Sutton, the San Antonio native who became Malcolm X’s lawyer and owner of the Apollo Theater in Harlem, Minutaglio’s stories shift the axis of our state’s literature, opening a world too long hidden from most white Texans.
“Minutaglio’s work demonstrates why writing—and publishing—matters, even in this age of social media and 140-character tweets. Minutaglio’s book succeeds as “art” while contributing to our understanding of humanity—in particular the “other Texas.” The Texas Observer
Review: "Reading Bill Minutaglio is like listening to one of the great Texas blues legends. His reporting brings forth stories of suffering and resilience, while at the same time his dazzling writing evokes the brilliantly effusive guitar solos of masters like T- Bone Walker and Lightnin' Hopkins." Steve Davis, Curator of the Southwestern Writers Collection at Texas State University.
Review: “Few people have ever written stories of blood, hunger, history, struggle, beauty, music, pain, family, myths and neglect with the undeniably authoritative prose that Minutaglio displays in this collection.” Sept, 26, 2010, The Austin Post
**BOOK (2010): “Molly Ivins: A Rebel Life,” PublicAffairs Books, New York. Co- written with W. Michael Smith. Updated, revised paperback. A work examining gender, journalism and the career of journalist Molly Ivins.
**BOOK (2009): “Molly Ivins: A Rebel Life,” PublicAffairs Books, New York. Co- written with W. Michael Smith. Hardcover.
Prize: Writers’ League of Texas, Best Nonfiction Book 2010.
“Bill Minutaglio has long been regarded as one of the great writers in Texas journalism . . . Minutaglio wrote exquisite long-form pieces about Texas poverty in a time of plenty" Austin American-Statesman, October 2009.
“A painfully intimate portrait . . . chock-a-block with colorful anecdotes and psychological insights.” The New York Times (New York Times Editor’s Choice, January 2010).
“Sheds new light on (a) big personality,” The Los Angeles Times.
“Filled with first-rate analysis, leavened by plenty of local color,” Newsweek.
“Aspiring journalists, read this – and then get to work.” Kirkus Reviews.
“A broad and deep picture of this national treasure. They have captured her public and private essences perfectly.” The Philadelphia Inquirer.
“Tough and tender.” The Washington Post.
“Immensely valuable . . . the biography is like its subject, unrelentingly honest, unapologetically unfiltered.” The Columbia Journalism Review.
“Poignant . . . personal, empathetic.” The Austin American-Statesman
“Essential reading.” The San Antonio Express-News
“Entertaining, readable . . . full of wonderful stories.” The Dallas Morning News.
“Readers interested in feminist history, contemporary politics and media studies will like this first full-length biography of Ivins.” The Library Journal.
**BOOK (2006): “El Asesor del Presidente,” HarperCollins/Rayo Books, New York. A work, in Spanish, examining the career of United States Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.
Award: Best History/Political Book, Spanish or Bilingual, Latino Book Awards (2007), Second Place
**BOOK (2006): “The President’s Counselor: The Rise to Power of Alberto Gonzales,” HarperCollins/Rayo, New York. A work, in English, examining the career of United States Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.
“Fascinating.” The New York Times (Sunday)
“Minutaglio opens the curtain on the life and legal career of Gonzales, a very private man . . . the book is a fascinating look at the Attorney General” -- The San Antonio Express-News
“Brilliant,” The San Antonio Express-News
“Chilling.” The San Francisco Chronicle
“A well-researched biography,” Library Journal
“Eye-opening.” -- “starred” Kirkus Reviews
“An unbiased, lively portrait of Gonzales as one of Bush’s most prized advisers…” Publishers Weekly
“Those looking for clues to the Bush administration’s seeming assault on civil liberties – from warrantless wiretaps to allegedly condoned torture—will find much to ponder in The President’s Counselor…” Texas Monthly
“Minutaglio plumbs the personality of a man whose loyalty to the president may have compromised his professional principles.” Booklist
“Well-written.” Dallas Morning News
**BOOK (2004): “City On Fire: The Forgotten Disaster That Devastated A Town and Ignited A Landmark Legal Battle.” (Hardcover, Harper-Collins, New York, 2003; paperback, Perennial-HarperCollins, 2004; film rights optioned by actor Tom Cruise and Paramount Pictures, 2003).
Review: “Remarkable . . . a terrific non-fiction work” – Washington Post.
Review: “Stunning . . . . Will stand on its own as one of the finest books ever written about Texas” – The Texas Observer
Review: “Has the grand, masterly sweep of an epic . . . . A more perfect pairing of writer and subject is hard to imagine” – Austin American-Statesman
Review: “A first-rate job” – National Public Radio
Review: "A compelling narrative about the human side of the drama . . . City on Fire succeeds at animating a disaster that is too unforgivable to be forgotten . . . The drama of the events immediately preceding and following the explosion is cinematic and powerful . . . " The American Lawyer
Review: "Riveting...historical reporting at its best. Minutaglio writes with such skill, one can almost feel the gritty, humid heat of Texas and smell the emissions of the nearby refineries . . . City on Fire is ultimately a story about courage, bravery and a painful quest for justice." The Tucson Citizen.
Review: "Well researched and written . . . Minutaglio shares vignettes of death, bravery and disgrace from the disaster." The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Review: "Brilliant" – KWTX-AM
Review: "These lives and deaths, the author's meticulous research and brilliantly graphic narrative style, make City On Fire a memorable and lasting book." – The Dallas Morning News
Review: "(A) fascinating new history of this almost-forgotten event . . . such details are worthy of Melville or Twain." Austin Chronicle Review: "A detailed chronicle of the disaster . . . the astonishing dimensions of the tragedy and the fact that it had been forgotten by most of the world" – Reuters
Review: “The facts, figures and accounts of the experiences of the victims combine to form a powerful story of heroism, self-sacrifice and survival . . . " The Houston Chronicle
Review: "Like the explosions it describes, Minutaglio's account is incendiary reading. Two oceangoing freighters loaded with ammonium nitrate leveled a factory town in 1947. Was it an atomic blast? Terrorism? Judgment Day? The author (First Son: George W. Bush and the Bush Family Dynasty) assembles a harrowing mosaic about a blaze during a time of racial divisions and environmental plundering amid petrochemical companies that virtually ruled Texas City, Tex. He pauses to fill in the manufacturing town's pivotal role in WWII and sketches the principals involved in the gargantuan fire. From a priest beset with apocalyptic visions to a battle-scarred mayor, these and other residents come to life . . . this tale is evocatively told. His hard- edged prose brands scores of images on readers' minds: the beheaded statue of Mary; a naked father clutching onto his charred automobile; the longshoreman delivered to the morgue even though he isn't dead; and so many more. The book vividly details the carnage as well as some acts of heroism and selflessness. " Publishers Weekly
Review: “This terrible story deserves this passionate retelling. (Recommended) For all collections . . . . On April 16, 1947, two huge explosions rocked the port city of Texas City, TX, killing 600 people, injuring thousands more, leveling houses and buildings, and soaking the landscape with toxic chemicals. Over two thirds of the book is a poignant present-tense account of the hours before, during, and after the explosion, bringing to life the horror, pain, and bravery of the people of Texas City."" [STARRED REVIEW, indicating a work strongly and favorably recommended.]. Library Journal
Recognition: Named in Esquire, July 2004, as one of the “Greatest Survival Tales” ever written – along with passages from Ernest Hemingway and others. Author’s book excerpt and photograph included next to book excerpt and photograph of Ernest Hemingway.
Recognition: Advance praise from Gail Sheehy, Dan Rather, James Lee Burke, Sir Harold Evans, Pulitzer Prize-winner David Maraniss.
**BOOK (2001): “First Son: George W. Bush & The Bush Family Dynasty,” (Times Books, New York, 1999; revised paperback, Random House, New York, 2001)
Sampling of Reviews:
Review: “Authoritative” – New York Times Review: “Excellent” -- New York Review of Books
Review: “Excellent” -- New Republic
Review: “Deft and convincing” – George Will, Washington Post
Review: “Has color, depth and seriousness” – Washington Post
Review: “A must read” – Business Week
Review: “With a style reminiscent of Tom Wolfe . . . Minutaglio takes the reader on a romp through Texas politics, through a dynasty”– Baltimore Sun
Review: “I could discern no evident bias – either adulatory or cynical” – David Broder, Washington Monthly
Review: “Minutaglio is a master describer of the oil country where Mr. Bush grew up. He knows every iota of it . . . there is probably no one better . . . .” – The Economist
Review: “The first and most authoritative Bush biography” – Chicago Tribune
Review: “Required reading,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Review: “Detailed, fair but unsparing,” Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Review: “One of those rare nonfiction books that capture the trifecta – wonderfully readable, impeccably reported and revealing” Buzz Bissinger, author of “Friday Night Lights.”
Review: “Thoughtful, colorful, revealing and compelling,” David Maraniss, Pulitzer Prize winning reporter, Washington Post
Recognition: Excerpted by New York Times.com, CNN.com, Dallas Morning News, Chicago-Sun Times, Austin American-Statesman, etc.
Recognition: Quoted in The New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times.
Recognition: Published in China
**BOOK (1999): “Locker Room Mojo,” Middlefork Press. Co-authored with Nick Newton. A work examining the role of superstition in professional sports and international competitions.
Selected Reviews:
Review: “The most fascinating, curious . . . stories in sports.” Los Angeles Times. Review: “What must be the definitive book on superstitions in sports.” The Austin Chronicle.
Review: “Not just another sports trivia book – definitely a hit with devoted sports fans and art lovers alike.” Bibliophile.
**BOOK (1988): “The Hidden City,” Elmwood Press. Co-authored with Holly Williams. A work of history examining the city of Oak Cliff, annexed by Dallas in the early 20th Century. Former home of Lee Harvey Oswald, Jack Ruby, Terry Southern, Stevie Ray Vaughan, members of the Howard Hughes family. Co-author is now professor of dance at the University of Texas at Austin and former acting chair of the Department of Theater & Dance at the University of Texas at Austin.
BOOKS (CONTRIBUTING AUTHOR):
**Book, 2007: “Literary Austin,” Texas Christian University Press. Edited by Don Graham, J. Frank Dobie Regents Professor, University of Texas at Austin. A chapter in this anthology is comprised of an excerpt from Minutaglio’s biography of President Bush.
**Book, 2006: “Echoes of Texas Football: The Greatest Stories Ever Told,” Triumph Books. A chapter in this anthology is comprised of a magazine piece Minutaglio did for The Sporting News.
**Book, 2001: “Men and Masculinity: A Text Reader,” Wadsworth/Cengage, edited by Dr. Theodore Cohen, Ohio Wesleyan University. A chapter in this anthology is comprised of a magazine piece Minutaglio did for The Sporting News about two suicides – one involving a coach, one involving an athlete.
**Book, 1996: “Merchants of Misery: How Corporate America Profits From Poverty,” Common Courage Press. A chapter in this anthology is comprised of a magazine piece Minutaglio did for the Dallas Morning News.
**Book, 1993: “The Day JFK Died: The Event That Changed A Generation,” Andrews McMeel, New York. A chapter in this book is comprised of a story Minutaglio did for The Dallas Morning News.
**Book, 1990: “Nov. 22: The Day Remembered,” Taylor Publishing. A chapter in this book is comprised of a story Minutaglio did for The Dallas Morning News.
INVITED PANELS & LECTURES/PRESENTATIONS:
San Antonio Book Festival, April 2014 – featured speaker/author
The Sixth Floor Museum, Dallas, April 2014 – featured speaker/author
St. Louis Jewish Book Festival, November 2013 – featured speaker/author
Texas History Book Fair, Houston, November 2013 – featured speaker/author
Texas Book Festival, Austin, October 2013 – featured speaker/author
The JFK Symposium, Dallas, October 2013 – featured speaker/VIP panelist
Texas State University, October 2013 – featured speaker/author
Detroit Book Festival, October 2013 – featured speaker/author
Ann Arbor (Michigan) Public Library, October 2013 – featured speaker/author
University of Virginia, Miller Center, September 2013 – featured speaker/author
Southern Independent Booksellers Convention, New Orleans, September 2013 – featured speaker/author
Texas Book Festival, October 2012: Moderator for presentation for author Joe Nick Patoski
Keynote Speaker: Urology Research & Education Foundation, October 2012. Lectured on The Texas City Disaster, the greatest industrial disaster in American history and subject of Minutaglio’s book “City On Fire.”
Texas Writers’ League: Spring Workshop 2011, Writing & Researching Nonfiction Book Proposals
Invited Speaker: UT-Austin Orange Jackets, student organization: March 9, 2011
Texas Book Festival: Oct. 17, 2010, Featured Author. Presentation: “(Un)Covering Hidden Texas.” Appearing in conjunction with Minutaglio’s book (University of Texas Press, 2010) “In Search Of The Blues: A Journey To The Soul of Black Texas.”
Texas Book Festival: Oct. 16, 2010, Moderator. Presentation: A Discussion with author/journalist Jan Reid.
Texas Institute of Letters: Oct. 17, 2010, Featured Author representing TIL at Texas Book Festival.
The Texas Music Museum, July 2010. “In Search Of The Blues: A Journey To The Soul of Black Texas.” Book signing and discussion at invitation of Texas Music Museum.
Texas Observer Writers Festival, May 2010. Presented lecture on music, race, African American culture in Texas. “Race and blues in Texas.” On panel with author and journalist Jan Reid.
Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park, Johnson City Writers Conference, May 2010. “Nonfiction book writing.” Presented lecture on narrative nonfiction book writing.
The Texas Book Festival, “In Search Of The Blues,” discussion-presentation to staff members of Texas Book Festival on research/book about race, journalism in Texas. May 2010.
The Wittliff Collections, Southwestern Writers Collection, Texas State University. “In Search Of The Blues.” Presentation/discussion of research/book about race, journalism in Texas. April 2010.
Dallas Woman’s Club, The Mary Craig Class, January 2010. “The Life of Journalist Molly Ivins.” Presented lecture on the life and work of journalist Molly Ivins.
Metropolitan Breakfast Club, University of Texas at Austin (Texas Club), March 2010. “The Life of Journalist Molly Ivins.” Presented lecture on the life and work of journalist Molly Ivins.
Texas Book Festival, November 2009. “Molly Ivins: A Rebel Life.” Presented lecture on the life and work of journalist Molly Ivins. Participated in panel discussion with Steve Davis, author of “J. Frank Dobie: A Liberated Mind.”
Texas Observer Presentation, Nov. 12, 2009. “Molly Ivins: A Rebel Life.”
National College Media Convention, October 2009, “Staying Sane Above The Cloud Line: How to write about high profile figures.” At invitation of Professor Michael Taylor, Henderson State University, presented lecture on reporting about public figures.
National Conference of State Legislators, September 2009, “The Dwindling Press Corps.” Presented lecture and research on the diminishing ranks of political reporters covering state government.
Florida Society of Cardio and Thoracic Surgeons, July 2009, “The Future of The Media.” Presented lecture on the future of journalism.
The Mayborn Conference on Literary Journalism, The Mayborn Institute, University of North Texas, July 2009: “Summoning Spirits.” Presented lecture on writing historical narrative nonfiction. Fellow presenters included author and journalist Paul Theroux.
Dr. Paula Poindexter, University of Texas at Austin, March 2009. “Conversations on the challenges facing journalism.” Guest lecturer, panelist, for Dr. Poindexter’s class.
“Watchdog Journalism Conference,” hosted by Society of Professional Journalists at University of Texas at Austin, February 2009, invited as faculty moderator and host.
Writers League of Texas. Lecture, guest panelist: “Journalism: Markets, future trends.” Sept. 2008.
Harry Ransom Center, Texas Book Festival, Nov. 2007. “Literary Austin” panel, along with Dr. Don Graham, J. Frank Dobie Regents Professor of English, University of Texas at Austin. “Austin’s role in literature.”
SERVICE TO SCHOOL, COLLEGE, UNIVERSITY
Chairman, graduate program/professional track review committee, School of Journalism, College of Communication, University of Texas at Austin, 2011-2014
Member, University of Texas Fulbright Selection Committee, 2014
Member of Chair Search Committee, seeking candidates to fill the role of School of Journalism department head, 2013-2014
Chairman, search committee for journalism lecturer position, 2011-2012
Member, Scholarship Committee, University of Texas at Austin, College of Communication, 2009-2013.
Member, Graduate Student Selection Committee, University of Texas at Austin, College of Communication, School of Journalism, 2011-present.
Faculty advisor, Society of Professional Journalists-University of Texas at Austin chapter. 2008-2010.
University of Texas at Austin, Fulbright Nominating Committee, 2009. Responsible for reviewing and mentoring applicants for University of Texas at Austin Fulbright Grantee program; J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board/Institute of International Education.
University of Texas at Austin Faculty Adviser: Professional Experience in Journalism. 2007-present. Overseeing internships and off-campus jobs held by students.
Attendee, “Food Marketing & The Childhood Obesity Crisis,” lecture by former Dean Ellen Wartella, College of Communication, October 2012.
Attendee, 11th International Symposium on Online Journalism, April 2010.
Faculty representative, Carnegie-Knight Forum, “A Way Forward: Solving The Challenges of The New Frontier.” Feb. 11-12, 2010.
University of Texas at Austin Faculty Representative: Networking Conference, March 2009, for members of Society of Professional Journalists, University of Texas at Austin chapter.
University of Texas at Austin Journalism School co-coordinator of Investigative Journalism Conference at University of Texas at Austin, March 2009. “Uncovering The Truth.” Responsible for finding speakers, contacting speakers, hosting speakers, introducing speakers, promoting conference, preparing “mission statement” for conference. Beginning with a public forum, the School of Journalism presented a groundbreaking two-day conference examining investigative journalism’s changing role in maintaining democracy and championing the underreported story. In addition to the public forum, two dozen students from the School were chosen to participate in a series of intensive investigative journalism workshops with some of the best reporters in the business.
University of Texas at Austin Journalism School Faculty Adviser to Actual Innocence Clinic, 2009 & 2010. Responsible for overseeing journalism students working in first-ever program with University of Texas Law School. Program is designed to examine legal cases of prisoners incarcerated in Texas. Mentoring students, overseeing their work, etc. Attended planning meetings with University of Texas at Austin Law School faculty, attended workshops with students at law school, held regular review sessions with participating students.
Guest Speaker to J327 Feature Writing, taught by Diana Dawson, March 2008-2009.
University of Texas at Austin Journalism School, News21 Project, 2009-present. Member of Selection Committee.
University of Texas at Austin, School of Journalism, welcoming group: Journalist Juan Gonzalez. “The Future of The Media In The Age of Obama.” 2009.
“Succeeding as a Freelancer,” Dr. Paula Poindexter seminar for graduate students, University of Texas at Austin, 2009.
“The Future of Journalism,” faculty representative to Discussion Group/Querencia Barton Creek. 2009.
University of Texas at Austin at Austin Journalism School Faculty Adviser to “MYNEWS@SCHOOL” project. Attended planning meetings at Austin American- Statesman. Presented community-based lecture and mentoring to high school journalism students in Texas, 2008.
Seminar guest/invited speaker: “Tips from Great Teachers,” Dr. Susan McLeland seminar for graduate students who have nominated “their favorite professors to join us for a roundtable discussion on pedagogical issues.” Nov. 2009.
Peer review: “Microteach” for Supervised Teaching course led by Dr. Susan McLeland. Oct. 2009.
“The art of interviewing,” RTF, Professor Nancy Schiesari. Presented lecture to documentary film students about interviewing tactics and techniques. Oct. 2009 & Sept. 2010.
University of Texas at Austin Journalism School Master’s Report Reader/Advisor, 10 students, 2008-2010.
University of Texas at Austin Journalism School Faculty Advisor for J374 Independent Study, 2008.
University of Texas at Austin, School of Journalism, Faculty Representative: Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy, Harvard University, June 20-21, 2008. “The Carnegie-Knight Task Force on the Future of Journalism Education.”
University of Texas at Austin, School of Journalism, welcoming group for U.S. Senator Fred Harris. “The Kerner Commission, 40 years later.” 2008.
Guest editor, Texas Journalist, School of Journalism, University of Texas at Austin. 2008-2009.
Faculty representative, School of Journalism, University of Texas at Austin, Masters Degree Convocation, May 2012
Faculty representative, School of Journalism, University of Texas at Austin, College of Communication graduation ceremonies, May 2012
Faculty representative, School of Journalism, University of Texas at Austin, Masters Degree Convocation, May 2011
Faculty representative, School of Journalism, University of Texas at Austin, university-wide COMMENCEMENT ceremonies, May 2011
Faculty representative, School of Journalism, College of Communication, University of Texas at Austin university-wide COMMENCEMENT ceremonies, May 2009.
Faculty representative, School of Journalism, College of Communication, University of Texas at Austin university-wide COMMENCEMENT ceremonies, May 2008.
Texas Observer/Molly Awards. Represented faculty, at request of Dean of College of Communication. Summer 2008.
Faculty advisor, University of Texas at Austin, School of Journalism, Magazine Sequence, 2007-2008.
Faculty representative, with director of the Journalism School, on critique committee for The Daily Texan. 2007.
ACADEMIC-RELATED PROFESSIONAL SERVICE & WORK:
Texas Institute of Letters: Participated in the annual nominating and election process for new members, 2009-present.
Texas Institute of Letters: Attendee, Annual conference, 2010.
Texas Institute of Letters: Judge, Carr Collins Nonfiction Book Award: 2011-2012
The Texas Observer, Media Columnist (“State of the Media”), 2010-2014 Responsible for DOZENS of regular columns about the media in Texas and the rest of the United States.
Judge, Tankard Awards, The Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC). 2008-2009. The Tankard Award is awarded to books achieving excellence in journalism and mass communication research.
Judge, Barbara Jordan Media Awards. Sponsored by the Texas Governor’s Office for People with Disabilities, the Barbara Jordan Media Awards cover a wide array of journalism entries – print, online, broadcast. Work entailed visiting the State of Texas office housing the statewide entries and reviewing dozens of articles, videos, etc. 2011.
Judge, Barbara Jordan Media Awards. Sponsored by the Texas Governor’s Office for People with Disabilities, the Barbara Jordan Media Awards cover a wide array of journalism entries – print, online, broadcast. Work entailed visiting the State of Texas office housing the statewide entries and reviewing dozens of articles, videos, etc. 2010.
Judge, Barbara Jordan Media Awards. Sponsored by the Texas Governor’s Office for People with Disabilities, the Barbara Jordan Media Awards cover a wide array of journalism entries – print, online, broadcast. Work entailed visiting the State of Texas office housing the statewide entries and reviewing dozens of articles, videos, etc. 2009.
Judge, State Bar of Texas Gavel Awards. Annual media awards for reporting touching on matters of jurisprudence, criminal justice. 2010. Judged dozens of entries.
Peer Review: “The Bias Handbook for Journalists,” Holcomb Hathaway Publishers. Dec. 2009.
Peer Review: Manuscript evaluator for University of Texas Press
COURSES:
Courses taught, overseen: 1. J395/J359 (Writing Nonfiction Books – course created by Minutaglio) 2. J379 (Actual Innocence Clinic) 3. J327 (Feature Writing) 4. J374 (Advanced Feature Writing) 5. J3893 (Professional Experience in Journalism) 6. J398R (Masters Report): (20 as of 12/12/12) 7. TC660HA – Plan II Thesis Supervisor 8. J380-Reporting & Writing for master’s degree candidates 9. J395-Narrative Storytelling (Course Created, Designed by Minutaglio) 10. J395-Investigative Journalism (Course Designed by Minutaglio) 11. J315-Reporting & Writing 2007 12. Creative Nonfiction for Magazines & Books (Spring 2013) 13. Advanced Writing & Public Affairs Reporting (Spring 2013) 14. Intellectual Entrepreneurship Pre-Graduate School Internship Supervisor (Spring 2012-Fall 2012)
MEDIA (reviews/articles/appearances by Minutaglio, about Minutaglio)
Houston Chronicle, “Transcending the Psychobabble,” Aug. 11, 2014
Politico, “Oh Brother: The Psychodrama of George W. & Jeb Bush,” May, 22, 2014
The Guardian, “The Real Legacy of The Dallas Buyers Club,” March 2, 2014
The London Telegraph, “Dallas Buyers Club: The not-so-straight truth,” Feb. 7, 2014.
Columbia Journalism Review, “Dancing With Hollywood,” Feb. 28, 2014
CNN, “Texas Reporter Talks about Dallas Buyers Club,” Jan. 17, 2014
Washington Post, “Tea Party Has Roots in Dallas 1963,” Nov. 21, 2013
The Daily Beast, “The True Story Behind Dallas Buyers Club,” Nov. 3, 2013 TIME, “Dallas Buyers Club Fact Check,” Nov. 8, 2013
National Public Radio, All Things Considered: November 2013
National Public Radio, All Things Considered, October 2013
Kirkus, interview with Minutaglio, November 2013
**New York Times/OP-ED CONTRIBUTOR Texas on Fire, Again and Again By BILL MINUTAGLIO Published: April 19, 2013
**Numerous Articles/Columns/Essays about journalism, the media, in The Texas Observer:
Rich Men’s Games Sep 17, 2013 The big buzz this summer is the news that even more really rich men have decided to try their hands at reviving decimated legacy media outlets. Full Story
The Paranoid Style in Texas Politics Aug 14, 2013 Dewhurst’s freak-out was one of those moments that shows how frustrating it can be for Texas reporters trying to gather facts from state officials. Full Story
Saluting the San Antonio Express-NewsJul 26, 2013 There is a lot to criticize about Texas media, so when a brave project on an underreported topic appears in the San Antonio Express-News, it is worth taking note. Full Story
The Fate of The Daily Texan And What It May Mean to Future JournalistsJun 20, 2013 Watchdogging is a skill, and the Texan has always been a place where student journalists learn by doing. Full Story
Group That Hands Out Guns Receives Unquestioning Texas Media Coverage May 15, 2013 Kyle Coplen, the 29-year-old student who started the Armed Citizen Project, seems to be having fun messing with the Texas media. Full Story
In West Explosion, Echoes of Another Texas Tragedy Apr 18, 2013 The explosion at a fertilizer plant in West, Texas, on Wednesday raises the same questions that followed the 1947 disaster in Texas City, the largest industrial accident in American history. Full Story
Citizen Journalists Go After City Emails Apr 16, 2013 Access to public documents is the bedrock of investigative journalism. Full Story
Universities Criticized For Over-Emphasizing Race, Gender and Class Issues In History Mar 13, 2013 A recent report criticizes Texas public universities for imbalanced teaching of American history by overly emphasizing issues of race, gender and class. Full Story
Who Owns Your Local Paper? Feb 18, 2013 Is increasing consolidation improving or diluting the quality of local coverage? Full Story
Texas Media Lent Credence to Anti-Socialist Hysteria In the ’60s—Has Anything Changed? Jan 28, 2013 In the stories suggesting that Texas and the nation were under threat from socialists, simply plug in “the Tea Party” for “the John Birch Society.” Full Story
T. Boone Pickens’ Alternative Energy Hype Dec 26, 2012 Bottom line: Pickens spent 2012 pulling the plug, saying that solar and wind energy are not worth his time and money—while putting his muscle into the kind of mega PAC that makes a mockery of campaign financing. Full Story
Exit Polling: Not Just Numbers Nov 19, 2012 Exit polls are important not just to need-for-speed news jockeys in a rush to announce winners and losers on the evening news or the online front page. If conducted with cultural sensitivity, they can open a window into the soul of Texas’ rapidly changing minority demographic. Full Story
The Dallas Morning Advertorial?
Oct 15, 2012