Title: The Blood of Heroes
Author: James Donovan
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Publication Date: May 15, 2012
Author: James Donovan
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Publication Date: May 15, 2012
Summary: The gripping and
definitive chronicle of the iconic battle that inspired a nation--a sweeping
saga of 200 brave Americans who stood tall against an overwhelmingly superior
Mexican force.
On February 23, 1836, a Mexican army thousands
of soldiers strong attacked a group of roughly 200 Americans holed up in an abandoned
mission just east of San Antonio, Texas. For nearly two weeks, the massive
force lay siege to the makeshift fort, spraying its occupants with unremitting
waves of musket and cannon fire. Then, on March 6th, at 5:30 am, the Mexican
troops unleashed a final devastating assault: divided into four columns, they
rushed into the Alamo and commenced a deadly hand-to-hand fight. The Americans,
despite being hugely outnumbered, fought valiantly--for themselves and for a
division of an independent Texas. In the end, they were all slaughtered.
Drawing upon newly available primary sources,
THE BLOOD OF HEROES is the definitive account of this epic battle. Populated by
larger-than-life characters--including Davy Crockett, James Bowie, and William
Barret Travis--it is a dynamic story of courage, sacrifice, and redemption
Review: As a native of San Antonio, Texas, I have always been fascinated by the
history of my hometown, and the surrounding areas. As a young child, I had the
opportunity to visit the Alamo and the surrounding missions. I'm not sure about
other states, but Texans are extremely proud of their history, so I have read
and studied about the Battle of the Alamo in school and on my own for many
years. Every once in a while, new details emerge, inspiring new versions of the
story of the Battle that took place all those years ago.
In The Blood of Heroes, author
James Donovan presents a well-researched and gripping recollection of the
events surrounding the Battle of the Alamo and the people who have become
notable for it. Drawing on recently uncovered primary sources, Donavan
introduces people at both ends of the war in the most life like portrayal I
have ever encountered. Using both the spoken and written words of the men,
Donovan provides a unique insight into the character of the men and their
subsequent motivations for fighting, or not, in the war for Texas
independence.
Despite being a work of
nonfiction, the story feels like a well-written novel, always describing
interesting details while never sacrificing the pace of the action. I
found the descriptions of the weaponry used to be a fascinating insight into
the tools that were used during combat of the time period (1836). The 200
Texans, severely under-armed and extremely outnumbered (the Mexican army had
thousands), fought valiantly for 13 days. All Texans are familiar with the
tragic fate met by the 200 men, but the details brought to light in this book
allow fresh insights into the familiar story. Donovan has crafted what is sure
to become one of the definitive collections on the Battle of the Alamo.
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