Forget the Alamo

The Rise and Fall of an American Myth

By: Bryan Burrough, Chris Tomlinson, Jason Stanford

Narrated by: Fred Sanders

Length: 12 hrs and 15 mins

Publisher's summary

A New York Times best seller!

"Lively and absorbing...." (The New York Times Book Review)

"Engrossing." (Wall Street Journal)

"Entertaining and well-researched...." (Houston Chronicle)

Three noted Texan writers combine forces to tell the real story of the Alamo, dispelling the myths, exploring why they had their day for so long, and explaining why the ugly fight about its meaning is now coming to a head.

Every nation needs its creation myth, and since Texas was a nation before it was a state, it's no surprise that its myths bite deep. There's no piece of history more important to Texans than the Battle of the Alamo, when Davy Crockett and a band of rebels went down in a blaze of glory fighting for independence from Mexico, losing the battle but setting Texas up to win the war. However, that version of events, as Forget the Alamo definitively shows, owes more to fantasy than reality. Just as the site of the Alamo was left in ruins for decades, its story was forgotten and twisted over time, with the contributions of Tejanos - Texans of Mexican origin, who fought alongside the Anglo rebels - scrubbed from the record, and the origin of the conflict over Mexico's push to abolish slavery papered over. Forget the Alamo provocatively explains the true story of the battle against the backdrop of Texas's struggle for independence, then shows how the sausage of myth got made in the Jim Crow South of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. As uncomfortable as it may be to hear for some, celebrating the Alamo has long had an echo of celebrating whiteness.

In the past 40-some years, waves of revisionists have come at this topic, and at times have made real progress toward a more nuanced and inclusive story that doesn't alienate anyone. But we are not living in one of those times; the fight over the Alamo's meaning has become more pitched than ever in the past few years, even violent, as Texas's future begins to look more and more different from its past. It's the perfect time for a wise and generous-spirited book that shines the bright light of the truth into a place that's gotten awfully dark.

©2021 Bryan Burrough, Chris Tomlinson, Jason Stanford (P)2021 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“Bryan Burrough, Chris Tomlinson, and Jason Stanford urge us to reconsider the Alamo, a symbol we’ve been taught to fiercely and uncritically remember...the book provides strong, provocative critiques of US imperialism and colonialism. The myth of the Alamo, as we know it, is a lie. It’s been a part of the lie students have learned in school, and animates the lies peddled by legislation like the 1836 Project and the critical race theory bill. But if you want to truly remember the past, you first have to forget it.” (Texas Observer)

“Lively and absorbing.... Much of the fun of the book derives from how deftly it strips that varnish off and demolishes the prevailing (White) racist shibboleths - in particular, what the authors call the Heroic Anglo Narrative of Texas history.” (New York Times Book Review)

“Lively, entertaining and well-researched.... The greatest surprise of Forget the Alamo is its clear-eyed explication of the ways politicians, educators, writers, filmmakers, and TV executives used the Alamo to serve whatever message they were promoting.” (Houston Chronicle)

Pulling for a 4th grade friendly version…

Given that 4th grade and 7th grade history here is stuck learning the Anglo-centric, faux hero version of events, I’m hopeful these authors will consider revising some of the more vulgar realities — cough, cough, Travis’ diary— and produce a 4th grade friendly version of this. My son and his friends at William B. Travis 🙄 TAG school here in Dallas would appreciate it. 🙏🏽

Should be mandatory reading

I already knew a lot of the history in the first half of this book. The details and the people I didn't know of were really fascinating though. I wasn't as conscious of a lot of the early 20th century history surrounding the Alamo and the efforts to prop up the myths. It makes sense though, I wasn't really taught much of this in school. I really wish this book or one like it had been available in high school. I think Texas history class would have been a lot more interesting as a result.

Enlightenment from intelligence

I don't usually download history books, although I should. I am a first generation Mexican/american so I felt that I needed to educate myself. I am glad I did. This book was thorough, unbiased, educational and entertaining. It was so well done and went the right way by not perpetuating a false depiction of white exceptionalism and superiority. It is always refreshing to find that there are people with integrity and a real sense of right and wrong who are willing to dig deep to dispel myths, no matter how long they had been held onto. Not knowing the ethnic background of the authors, but assuming they aren't hispanic, makes this book filled with correct revelations, to be even more compelling because they don't have anything to gain other than the satisfaction of truth-telling. Of course I would have believed the findings of hispanic authors, but I know there are those that would have questioned the authenticity of facts, thinking it would have been self-serving. Thank you for producing a great product that kept me interested and enlightened.

Just wow.

This book completely explains Texas. It’s a fast-moving page-turner of political and historical importance. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Refreshing re-telling of a powerful secular myth

Refreshing candor with a smooth narrative. The vernacular journalism adds a personal tone to the story.
The book describes the cultural brain washing that the Anglo heroic martyr myth achieved

Eye-opening

An eye-opening history and presentation of the Alamo past--present. I thought I knew something about the "Heroic Last Stand" --now I know I do.
I heard about this book in an article, about how the Governor of Texas was trying to block this book--which led me to check it out; the Governor called it "...fact free..." --and he is wrong. Well researched, well written, committed to truth--the authors deliver, perhaps to much truth. I still admire Davy Crockett and the last stand, if anything I appreciate it a bit more now that I know the Texas Revolution and the Battle of the Alamo was a colabrative effort by many Tejanos/Texans. Like so many true stories there is unsettling tragedy wrapped up in the history.

Forget The Alamo so good on content and narration

After 4 years of listening to books versus reading, this gets the highest mark's from me.
First case is at this time and the last 5 years of attacks on truth telling. A refreshing review against the climate of the Alamo's constant weathering defense of it's true history. The book targets the Alamo's defenders past and clearly today's attempts on ignoring other evidence.
Also a fantastic narration by Fred Sanders which gets a 10 from me. Also his Spanish seems so natural and kept to flow moving. I'm checking out some of his other work.

Turns what I thought I knew upside down

Well researched and seemingly unbiased. As a child living in San Antonio when the John Wayne movie premiered, I too was a fan of Crockett and Bowie. Like so many things we're taught as children, the Alamo myth falls apart in the face of facts. Unfortunately people often believe what they want to believe even in the face of undisputed evidence.

Awake up call to a more complete understanding of Texas

A written piece much needed for a more modern and inclusive understanding of history and our need to be respectful of all ethnic groups.

Audio is a great way to process this information where a slew of $100 words would have made it a challenge for reading.

Extremely informative!

As a native Texan I had no idea the Alamo had gone through so much over the years.