Bestselling Author Bryan Burrough Reveals How Texas Shaped the Gunfighter Era

In this episode of Writing the West podcast, we sit down with journalist and historian Bryan Burrough, author of the riveting new book The Gunfighters: How Texas Made the West Wild. Known for his bestsellers Barbarians at the Gate and Public Enemies, Burrough brings his sharp investigative lens to the gunfighter era, tracing its roots in Texas honor culture, post–Civil War violence, and the rise of Western mythology. From Wild Bill Hickok to Wyatt Earp and lesser-known legends like Pink Higgins and Luke Short, Burrough explores how these men became the American archetype of rugged individualism—and how their stories continue to shape pop culture today.