In the News
Civil War Monitor Review
“In his final pages, Johnson reflects on the challenge of writing a ‘new’ history of Texas and admits that such a feat may truly be impossible. Not because he lacks the talent (this he has in spades, and is in full flight here), but because his beloved home state will not be subdued. What Johnson has offered us, in lieu of a complete history of Texas, is one that can claim to be multicultural, engaging, and modern. For those who wish to try to understand Texas in 2025, there is now no better place to start.”
Public Books Review
“To a non-Texan, Texas: An American History might read as overly sentimental at times, but by adhering to the popular and folkloric conventions of Texas history writing, it is able to do subtle and creative work to undermine dominant stories about the state.”
Read more of the Public Books review, written by Emma Pask, on Texas: An American History by visiting the Public Books website.
Texas Public Radio Interview
“The history of Texas is an immensely powerful narrative of triumph, violence, conflict, and transformation. Often, this narrative is steeped in flattering myths that celebrate heroic battles and the rugged spirit of the frontier while omitting significant chapters of darkness, injustice and progressive politics.”
Listen to Dr. Johnson’s interview with David Martin Davies for Texas Public Radio.
New Books Network Interview
Listen to Dr. Johnson’s interview with Dr. Stephen R. Hausmann of New Books Network as they discuss Texas: An American History.
Texas Standard Interview
“The history of Texas is as vast as its environment and, upon a closer look, equally as complex.
A criticism of the more widely-circulated history of Texas is that it neglects, or even erases, the contributions and lived experiences of those who don’t fit the dominant narrative. Historians have also struggled to strike a balance between telling the state’s story – steeped in ruggedness, perseverance and triumph – with one that shines a light on periods of conflict and oppression.
But as researchers and scholars continue to look back at the people who made Texas what it is today, a more robust and colorful tapestry of the state’s story emerges. . .”
Listen/read Dr. Johnson’s full interview with the Texas Standard in the link below.
