Bryan Burrough

Bryan Burrough

Bryan Burrough was born on August 13th, 1961 and is currently 63 years old. Bryan Burrough was born in Memphis, TN, USA. Burrough attended the University of Missouri.

Bryan Burrough is an American journalist and the author of eight books, including four New York Times bestsellers. His notable works include Barbarians at the Gate, Public Enemies, The Big Rich, and Forget the Alamo.

Burrough graduated in 1983 from the University of Missouri’s journalism school. He worked as a reporter for The Wall Street Journal from 1983 to 1992, covering Dallas, Houston, Pittsburgh, and New York. He has won the Gerald Loeb Award for excellence in financial journalism three times. From 1992 to 2017, he served as a special correspondent for Vanity Fair. His writing has also appeared in major newspapers such as The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, and The Washington Post. Burrough has been featured on television shows like Today and Good Morning America, as well as in various documentary films. He currently serves as Editor at Large for Texas Monthly, where his true-crime podcast Stephenville gained national attention in 2023.

He is a member of the Texas Institute of Arts and Letters, the Philosophical Society of Texas, and the New Jersey Literary Hall of Fame.

Forget the Alamo offers a bold, fact-based revisionist perspective on the events surrounding the Alamo and the myths that followed. Burrough, along with co-authors Chris Tomlinson and Jason Stanford, challenges the traditional “Heroic Anglo Narrative” of Texas history, offering a more complex and inclusive account of the forces that led to the infamous battle.

The authors explain that during Spain’s control of the region, it encouraged U.S. immigration by offering free land—disregarding the presence of Indigenous people already living there. The fertile land was ideal for cotton farming, which relied on enslaved labor. When Mexico gained independence in 1821, it adopted abolitionist policies, creating tension with Anglo settlers who wanted to maintain slavery. The Tejanos—Texans of Spanish descent—pushed for a federalist system of government, and ultimately joined forces with the Anglo settlers in seeking Texan independence.

The defense of the Alamo is portrayed as a doomed mission from the beginning. The book casts a critical eye on key figures such as Jim Bowie, William Barret Travis, and Davy Crockett. Bowie is described as a murderer and swindler, Travis as a syphilitic racist, and Crockett as a self-promoter. Historical evidence suggests that Crockett may have surrendered to the Mexican army and was executed—undermining the popular myth of his heroic last stand.

The mythologizing of the Alamo, the authors argue, was largely orchestrated by Sam Houston to rally support for Texas independence. Over time, this myth evolved into a symbol of white supremacy, erasing the contributions of Tejanos who also fought and died at the fort, while ignoring the Native American burial ground beneath the plaza.

The latter portion of the book delves into the modern political controversies surrounding the Alamo’s preservation, including the curious involvement of musician Phil Collins. A passionate collector of Alamo memorabilia—some of questionable authenticity—Collins proposed a $450 million museum to showcase his collection.

This captivating and provocative account challenges long-held beliefs and brings much-needed nuance to the story of the Alamo. It’s a compelling read for anyone interested in a deeper understanding of Texas history.

Bryan Burrough: Lists & Other Mentions

• Barbarians at the Gate was a New York Times: #1 Nonfiction Best Seller in 1990.

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Bryan Burrough: F.A.Q