Jim Atkinson, a contributing editor for TEXAS MONTHLY, has been a working journalist in Texas for over 40 years. He was a courthouse reporter for the Dallas Times Herald and a political correspondent for Dallas KERA-TV Channel 13.’ during the 1970s. In l974, he helped to found D Magazine, the city magazine of Dallas, and worked there for seven years as an editor and writer. In l981, he began writing for TEXAS MONTHLY and other publications including Esquire, Gourmet, GQ, National Review, the New York Times, Playboy, Self, Town and Country and Travel and Leisure.  He has won numerous awards for reporting and is the author of two books, Evidence of Love, A True Story of Passion and Death in the Suburbs (Texas Monthly Press, l984) and The View from Nowhere (HarperCollins , l987).

For much of his career, Atkinson wrote about crime and the criminal justice system.  Fifteen years ago, he decided to turn his energies to reporting on health and medical science, primarily in the pages of TEXAS MONTHLY and ESQUIRE.  Since then, he has written about everything from the flu to cardiac surgery to sexual addiction, and has won 12 awards for medical reporting.  Most recently, he has turned his journalistic attentions to environmental and travel writing.

In the latter category, he has become a regular contributor to the New York Times travel sections. 

Atkinson is 63 and lives in Dallas with his wife, Ann.

CAREER DETAILS (CV)

JIM ATKINSON

AGE:  63

PRESENT POSITION:  contributing editor, TEXAS MONTHLY

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:

1971:BA, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS

1971-72--Reporter, Dallas Times Herald

1972-74--Political correspondent, KERA-TV, Channel l3 (PBS), Dallas

l974-l980--Founding editor, D Magazine, Dallas.

1980--present--contributing editor, associate editor, writer at large, Texas Monthly magazine.

OTHER PUBLICATIONS CONTRIBUTED TO:

Esquire, Gourmet, GQ, National Review, New York Times, Playboy, Reader’s Digest, Self, Travel and Leisure, Town and Country, Town and Country Travel, Virtuoso Life

BOOKS:

l984:  Evidence of Love, A True Story of Passion and Death in the Suburbs  (with John Bloom)

HARDBACK:  TEXAS MONTHLY PRESS.  PAPERBACK, 1985:  BANTAM.  TV MOVIE. 1990:  “A KILLING IN A SMALL TOWN” (HEARST ENTERTAINMENT, CBS)

1987:  The View from Nowhere:  The Only Bar Guide You’ll Ever Want--Or Need. 

HARPER/COLLINS.

AWARDS:

1978:  CLARION AWARD.  Feature story:   “A Case of Rape”, D Magazine; nominated, National Magazine Award, Specialized Journalism, “A Case of Rape:, D Magazine.

1981:  AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION, Award of Merit.  Coverage of Crime, 1981, Texas Monthly,

1985:  TEXAS INSTITUTE OF LETTERS AWARD FOR BEST NON-FICTION BOOK:

Evidence of Love; Edgar Allan Poe “Special Award”, Evidence of Love.

1994:  Anson Jones Award, “Honoring Excellence in Health Communication”

1995” Mental Health Association Award for mental health coverage

1996:  Anson Jones Award, “Honoring Excellence in Health Communication”

1997:  American Cancer Society Award for coverage of cancer

1998:   Anson Jones Award “Honoring Excellence in Health Communication” 

1999:  Two Anson Jones Awards, “Honoring Excellence in Health Communication”; American Cancer Society Award

2000:  Anson Jones Award, “Honoring Excellence in Health Communication”

2000  American Cancer Society award for coverage of cancer.

Special Commendation Award from The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society for coverage of leukemia.

American Cancer Society Award for coverage of cancer.

Anson Jones Award “Honoring Excellence in Health Communication”

2002 American Cancer Society Award for coverage of cancer

American Heart Association Award

2003 Anson Jones Award “Honoring Excellence in Health Communication”

2003 American Cancer Society Award for coverage of cancer

American Cancer Society Award for coverage of cancer

2004 Dallas Bar Association Award for legal reporting