Allen in the Press
'Are We Creating Critical Thinkers?' Historians Say Smithsonian Review Reflects Today's Anti-Intellectualism
In Candice Frederick’s feature on the White House’s push to “review” Smithsonian exhibits, Allen J. Wiener discusses how political pressure risks sanitizing museum narratives and undermining curators’ independence. He also notes the wider resistance historians face, with audiences clinging to myth, even “if that’s not the way it happened.”
In this 1992 Washington Post profile, Allen interviews a sober, physically fit 51-year-old Ringo Starr, fresh from rehab and newly inspired by songwriting workouts with Johnny Warman. Starr re-emerges with the comeback album Time Takes Time and an all-star touring band (featuring the likes of Joe Walsh, Nils Lofgren, and son Zak), determined to leave his alcohol-blighted slump behind and prove that the Beatles’ once-underrated drummer still delivers rock’s most distinctive backbeat.
Ringo, Back on His Beat
The Five Best Side Hustles for Retirees
In this article, Allen explains how he’s parlayed decades of archival research and storytelling into a purposeful “second act” as a published writer. He notes that retirement’s flexible hours allow him to continue producing rigorously sourced books and articles (and remain a go-to media source on Texas history), without the time pressures of his former 9-to-5 career.
Picks & Pans
PEOPLE magazine enlisted Allen’s archival expertise for its December 6, 1993, “Picks & Pans” feature tracing 150 years of A Christmas Carol on screen, from Alastair Sim’s definitive 1951 Scrooge to Bill Murray’s modern twist in Scrooged. The feature showcases the tale’s enduring cultural impact, grounded by Allen’s meticulous research notes.
The Junot Files: Elvis Presley & Steve Allen
In this episode of The Junot Files, Allen speaks with host Jim Junot about Elvis Presley’s famously tuxedo-and-basset-hound rendition of “Hound Dog” on the July 1, 1956, Steve Allen Show. He explains how a stunt meant to appease nervous network censors ended up turbo-charging Elvis’s national fame and proving how decisively television could shape a pop-culture icon.
In this 2009 episode of C-SPAN's “Book TV,” Allen and co-author James Boylston discuss their book, “David Crockett in Congress: The Rise and Fall of the Poor Man's Friend .” In their book, they present an examination of the life of U.S. Representative David Crockett that extends beyond his days as Davy Crockett the frontiersman, arguing that he was also a skilled politician and an advocate for the underprivileged.
David Crockett In Congress
Music of the Alamo: From 19th-Century Ballads to Big-Screen Soundtracks (review)
In this review by Jesús F. de la Teja, Music of the Alamo: From 19th-Century Ballads to Big-Screen Soundtracks was praised as “an accessible, engaging, entertaining work” offering a balanced account of the Alamo’s legacy. The review commends Allen and co-author William R. Chemerka for candidly addressing race, myth, and hero worship while exploring how music has shaped one of Texas’s most enduring legends.
Interview with Allen J. Wiener, author of Channeling Elvis: How Television Saved the King of Rock 'n' Roll
In this 2014 Elvis Information Network Q&A, Allen traces how every televised appearance, from Elvis’s electrifying 1956 debuts through the 1968 “Comeback” special, first rocketed, then repeatedly revived the King’s career. He discusses the research and myth-busting behind his book Channeling Elvis: How Television Saved the King of Rock ’n’ Roll, concluding that TV quite literally “made, remade and ultimately preserved” Presley’s legend.
New book explores truths about the Alamo's most celebrated figure
Scott Huddleston of Express-News reviews Allen’s eight-year biography, David Crockett in Texas: His Search for New Land. Huddleston writes that the book dismantles Alamo folklore by showing that Crockett, disillusioned with Andrew Jackson, ambivalent about slavery, and primarily seeking land for his family, wound up in a poorly led, under-supplied garrison and likely died fighting rather than as a captured folk hero martyr.
Channeling Elvis: How Television Saved the King of Rock ‘n Roll, by Allen J. Wiener
In this Paul Cool Books review, historian Paul Cool recounts being asked to blurb Allen J. Wiener’s manuscript and then warmly recommends Wiener's book Channeling Elvis: How Television Saved the King of Rock ’n’ Roll for its meticulous, myth-busting analysis of how Elvis’s TV appearances forged and repeatedly revived his stardom.
Davy Crockett: The Man vs. The Myth | Unscaled Conversations
In this video interview, Allen sits down with Jeremy Long to discuss key themes from David Crockett in Texas, including Crockett’s journey for land, mythic reinvention, and the ways historical narratives shape modern identity. He delves into how media, memory, and frontier lore intersect in Crockett’s final years, offering viewers a fresh lens on one of America’s most iconic legends.
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