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Porter Broyles's Reviews > Forget the Alamo: The Rise and Fall of an American Myth
Forget the Alamo: The Rise and Fall of an American Myth
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Porter Broyles's review
bookshelves: america-1816-1859, genre-history-texas, genre-civil-rights
Oct 16, 2021
bookshelves: america-1816-1859, genre-history-texas, genre-civil-rights
The only time I give one star reviews on a non-fiction book is if I feel as if the author(s) are guilty of academic malefeasance or intentional dishonesty as I do here.
Before you discard me as somebody who is giving this book a 1 star review because I don't like the hypothesis or position being argued, let me set that record straight.
I am a student of history and love Texas History. But I also believe that Texas history has been blind to reality. I 100% agree with the authors that Texas history is not the myth that we've been taught. I 100% agree that the role of slavery in Texas history has been swept under the rug and that the Texas laws requiring the romantic view of Texas history are flawed.
In short, the principles and ideas behind the book are ones that I firmly agree with.
Unfortunately, when I read this book, I couldn't help but think that the authors intentionally used inflamatory language and rhetoric to make an emotional appeal rather than an intellectual one. In my opinion, they used bias words and phrases to make the argument, rather than letting the facts speak for themselves. This undermined their argument as it emphasized the author's lack of objectivity and shere comtempt for those who don't accept it.
I was really hoping for a coherent argument that presented the facts (and hopefully cited other sources to show that these facts were known, but hidden). Other historians have touched upon the issue, but shied away from it.
Instead, I found a book that was preaching to the choir---a book that was written for those who wanted to see what the authors were arguing---a book whose goal is to inflame rather than educate. Kind of like listening to a political commentator on the radio.
Again, *I* was profoundly disappointed in the delivery.
EDIT: Just finished the book South to Freedom: Runaway Slaves to Mexico and the Road to the Civil War. The title is a little deceptive as the book didn't really talk about slaves escaping to Mexico, (which cost the book a star) but that book is what this book wanted to be. An academic survery on the subject of Texas and Slavery. Very good coverage without the infamatory nonsense that this book presented. Here is my review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Before you discard me as somebody who is giving this book a 1 star review because I don't like the hypothesis or position being argued, let me set that record straight.
I am a student of history and love Texas History. But I also believe that Texas history has been blind to reality. I 100% agree with the authors that Texas history is not the myth that we've been taught. I 100% agree that the role of slavery in Texas history has been swept under the rug and that the Texas laws requiring the romantic view of Texas history are flawed.
In short, the principles and ideas behind the book are ones that I firmly agree with.
Unfortunately, when I read this book, I couldn't help but think that the authors intentionally used inflamatory language and rhetoric to make an emotional appeal rather than an intellectual one. In my opinion, they used bias words and phrases to make the argument, rather than letting the facts speak for themselves. This undermined their argument as it emphasized the author's lack of objectivity and shere comtempt for those who don't accept it.
I was really hoping for a coherent argument that presented the facts (and hopefully cited other sources to show that these facts were known, but hidden). Other historians have touched upon the issue, but shied away from it.
Instead, I found a book that was preaching to the choir---a book that was written for those who wanted to see what the authors were arguing---a book whose goal is to inflame rather than educate. Kind of like listening to a political commentator on the radio.
Again, *I* was profoundly disappointed in the delivery.
EDIT: Just finished the book South to Freedom: Runaway Slaves to Mexico and the Road to the Civil War. The title is a little deceptive as the book didn't really talk about slaves escaping to Mexico, (which cost the book a star) but that book is what this book wanted to be. An academic survery on the subject of Texas and Slavery. Very good coverage without the infamatory nonsense that this book presented. Here is my review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
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Reading Progress
June 20, 2021
–
Started Reading
June 20, 2021
– Shelved
July 10, 2021
–
20.0%
"Had a hair cut. My barber was a bright young African American. She hasn't heard of this book, but wants to read it now."
July 21, 2021
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40.0%
"I am struggling with this book.
First let me get it out--- to pretend that slavery wasn't a key feature in Texas is a flat out lie. Texas's declaration of secession is one of the most vile documents ever written.
The Texians fought to preserve slavery, no two ways about it.
This book, however, is so poorly written and inflammatory that the only people who will like it are people who like seeing stones thrown."
First let me get it out--- to pretend that slavery wasn't a key feature in Texas is a flat out lie. Texas's declaration of secession is one of the most vile documents ever written.
The Texians fought to preserve slavery, no two ways about it.
This book, however, is so poorly written and inflammatory that the only people who will like it are people who like seeing stones thrown."
July 31, 2021
–
40.0%
"The was a lot of yelling back and forth. Some smart Alek American Made a flag with a picture and a cannon and the words, "come and take it" Thus was born the Texas t-shirt industry; to this day is hard to spend a half hour in Dallas or Houston without seeing a "come and take it" tee."
August 1, 2021
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40.0%
"really struggling with this book. Not for what it says, but for how it says it.
It is written with a flippant, populous, inflamatory style. I mean I can't take a history too seriously when the author writes "bitching" in it---and isn't quoting somebody."
It is written with a flippant, populous, inflamatory style. I mean I can't take a history too seriously when the author writes "bitching" in it---and isn't quoting somebody."
August 1, 2021
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40.0%
""Other than Juan Seguin, among the few who backed the idea was the same little group of angry yong men who had been bitching about the Mexican government for years"
"The loudest and most persistent of the embryonic War Dogs though was young William Barret Travis. If ever a man could be said to have single handedly started the Texas Revolt, it was the histrionic, melodramatic, oversexed, underprincipled Buck Travis"
"The loudest and most persistent of the embryonic War Dogs though was young William Barret Travis. If ever a man could be said to have single handedly started the Texas Revolt, it was the histrionic, melodramatic, oversexed, underprincipled Buck Travis"
August 13, 2021
–
50.0%
"The book is improving. The judgmental wording used by the authors is diminishing and the book is now doing what I thought it should do from the beginning.
The ideas presented in the book are not novel or unfounded, they have been discussed elsewhere, but usually obscured/diminished.
The inclusion of quotes showing that helps significantly."
The ideas presented in the book are not novel or unfounded, they have been discussed elsewhere, but usually obscured/diminished.
The inclusion of quotes showing that helps significantly."
August 25, 2021
–
55.0%
"This book might end up on my DNR list.
While I do not oppose the subject---the role of slavery and racism in Texas is an important component in our state's history.
My problem is the writing style.
It is way too populistic."
While I do not oppose the subject---the role of slavery and racism in Texas is an important component in our state's history.
My problem is the writing style.
It is way too populistic."
October 16, 2021
– Shelved as:
america-1816-1859
October 16, 2021
– Shelved as:
genre-history-texas
October 16, 2021
– Shelved as:
genre-civil-rights
October 16, 2021
–
Finished Reading
Comments Showing 1-8 of 8 (8 new)
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Michael
(new)
Jul 23, 2021 06:54PM
I recall there was a Texas textbook not that long ago that referred to slaves as "guest workers."
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I am still waiting for my copy from the library. So many ahead of me wanting to read this book. . . .I suspect I will agree with you more than less, yet I am curious. A cat will always pursue what pricks her curiousity. . . .
Thanks,, Porter, for a good and honest review.
Michael wrote: "I recall there was a Texas textbook not that long ago that referred to slaves as "guest workers.""Prior to the Texas Revolution, slaves were not allowed in the State of Texas. It was against the law in Mexico.
So, slave owners had their slaves sign an indentured servitude contract that lasted 99 years.
In 1830, Mexico changed it's constitution. The new constitution didn't just forbid slavery, but it closed this loophole.
If you've ever seen the "Alamo Flag"---the Mexican flag with the "1824" replacing the Mexican seal---it is an actual historic flag from the Texas Revolution. The Texians (both Anglo and Mexican) wanted Mexico to restore the 1824 Constitution---which allowed for life time indentured servants!
Porter: I gather you considered the book polemical rather than a balanced and well-grounded account? Why didn't you expect it to be so considering the authors are a Vanity Fair journalist, a business columnist and a political consultant for Democrats. Certainly their jobs wouldn't prevent them from writing a solid study, but I would not approach such a work expecting academic rigor.
Thanks for the review. I have this one sitting on my Kindle. I half suspected that this might not be a book I’ll like but will be interested in their viewpoint. I go to grad school with one of the archivists at the Alamo. I’ll have to see if he’s read this one.
Teri wrote: "Thanks for the review. I have this one sitting on my Kindle. I half suspected that this might not be a book I’ll like but will be interested in their viewpoint. I go to grad school with one of the ..."Cool! Are you working on your Masters or PhD? What is your focus?
I finished the course work for a MA in Church History, but didn't do the final project.... since then I've become more of a US/Texas history buff.
I *DO* think the premise of the book is solid, but I really felt as if the authors were making an emotional appeal rather than sticking to the facts.
Reading other reviews (after posting mine) some talk about the informal/humorous manner that the facts were presented as a positive. To me it was a definite negative.
They were writing (AFAIC) to the choir that wanted to hear how evil Texas/Texas history was, not to present the facts in a manner that holds up to rigorous scrutiny.
I don't think their format would sway ANYBODY who didn't already buy into their premise."
Thanks for a good and honest review, Porter.
