Customer Reviews

A Time to Stand

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The battle of the Alamo is currently being fought all over again between Traditionalists, who present the "Texans as heros" view, and Revisionists, who view this heroic view with post-modern skepticism. Why is it being re-fought, and what is at stake? Simply, because the viewpoint that prevails will impact current social attitudes towards multi-culturism and racial diversity - a central motif of current American politics. Once again, the battle is fierce - with no mercy, and no prisoners. Deguello!

It is almost impossible to find an objective presentation of the facts without this modern political spin. As a remedy, I recommend the following considerations, before reading any book about the Alamo:

1.) Mexicans and Texians were at war. Both sides had extremely prejuidiced views of the event - such is war. These extreme views are the source materials for ALL writers of the history of the battle.

2.) All but a few of the Texians that were present at the battle died without telling their stories. The Mexican view had far more voices left afterwards to tell their version. Even so, the Texian's version has usually prevailed.

3.) Eyewitness reports are extremely contradictory. This is not suprising, considering that the climax events occured in the dark, within a small walled compound filled with black powder smoke, erupting cannons, fire, confusion, screams, panicked soldiers, etc.

4.) In a sentence, the war was between extremely independently minded American pioneers (regardless of their various personal agenda) and an army serving the will of an extremely controlling Mexican President (seeking rigorously centralized government power). In the simplest sense, the fight was between men who wanted minimal government influence on their lives, and a government who wanted maximum influence and control on their lives. (Somehow, this story always repeats itself.)

Nonetheless, as with all historical events, something of a coherent story can be tickled out of the confused mass of information. A good detective can "triangulate" the most probable facts of the event, if he or she approaches the information with common sense and a minimum of personal agenda.

I have read all but a few of the books available on the Alamo, and can attest that Walter Lord does one of the better, most complete, jobs of reporting the event objectively. He also does it within the shortest space - "A Time to Stand" is a comparatively brief book.

Revisionists will tell you that this book is "fluff", or biased - usually because they have a different bias they want to sell you. Beware the "historian" that has found "new information", has a "new and improved analysis", or who applies modern worldviews to an age when people saw the world differently. There is nothing new about rewriting history for political ends.

Walter Lord's "A Time to Stand" is the standard. Read it first, before you sample the works of the combatants in the new battle of the Alamo.

And read it before you watch the new movie, to be released Christmas 2003. With Revisionist Stephen Hardin as one of the historical advisors, it promises to be the Revisionist "Manifesto".

Just a few opinions from a world-wise Texan...

"A Time to Stand" was the first book about the Alamo I ever read (some forty years ago). With adrenalin still pumping after seeing the John Wayne film, I was desperate to know more. Now the adrenalin pumps every time I read this great book. Though other more recent books present more updated material, most "Alamophiles" agree that Walter Lord's version is the "Holy Grail" of all Alamo publications. Any person who reads other books on this subject, but fails to read "A Time to Stand", is getting only part of the story.

As a writer, Walter Lord has written the history of some of history's most epic stories, from the sinking of the Titanic to the American victory at Midway. It seems the better the drama, the better his prose. He retells the story of the battle for Texan independence from Mexico the treatment it deserves, in the process seperating fact from myth. The story of the Alamo is of course exciting, but I found Sam Houston's victory over Santa Anna at the battle of San Jacinto even more interesting. This is a great history book from one of the best history writers of the 20th century.

It seems virtually impossible for anyone outside the USA to find any form of realistic guide to the best narratives or texts on American history by Americans.
Whereas English history, French history, Russian history, etc. etc. has its recognised 'authorities', US history seems to have a collection of 'pro' tradition or 'con' tradition writings.
Walter Lord's book 'A Time To Stand' may have its detractors and its supporters but in the simplest of terms it does actually tell the story of the siege of the Alamo including the build up and the aftermath. Further reading may be a good move for in depth study but this book gets the reader into the history itself with very little forced interpretation of possible fact or rumour or political spin.
For the non-USA reader who just want to know what happened it's a must.

"A Time to Stand" is perhaps one of the best books ever written on the historic Battle of the Alamo. Walter Lord, a reporter turned non-fiction writer, focuses mainly on the general events that took place during the siege, rather than on specific character studies of the three main heroes (Travis, Bowie, Crockett), but that does not in any way tarnish the end result. His account is very vivid and detailed, and gives the reader a real sense of what it must have been like to be behind those old adobe walls. An good addition to the book is a fold-out map of the Alamo complex as it looked in 1836, plus various pictures and facsimiles of letters sprinkled throughout. A highly recommended read and wonderful introduction to the real story of the Alamo.

even though this book was writtin in 1961, it is still the father of all alamo books,this man is a true historian. some "new" facts may have come out since then but this is a true and balance account of the story. if you only buy one alamo book, this is the one to get.

Walter Lord's "A Time to Stand" is a great history of the Battle of the Alamo for the general reader. This short, readable book should be read by every American to get the basic history of one of the most famous battles in American history.

Lord tells the story of the Battle of the Alamo, and the campaign leading up to it, in an easy-to-read yet detailed narrative without getting bogged down in details. He brings life to many of the famous and less-than-famous defenders. He also describes the political climate in Texas and the United States and why the Battle of the Alamo, a loss for the Texans, was so important in Texas' journey to independence.

Just as importantly, though, Lord continues the story beyond the fall of the Alamo. He continues the campaign to its conclusion as Sam Houston and his Texans destroy Santa Ana's army at San Jacinto, with "Remember the Alamo" as their battle cry.

I lived in Texas for many years. Time and again I witnessed the importance of the Alamo on the Psyche of many Texans. The pride and independence of many Texas can be traced back to its roots in the events surrounding the Alamo.

A Time to Stand does an exceptional job of exploring the people, events and political environment leading up to the battle at the Alamo and the amazing aftermath.

This is the story of David Crockett, Jim Bowie, William Barrett Travis and all of the other brave men who stood for what they believed in even though many could have easily left and saved their own skins. A quote by David Crockett states it best: "Be sure you are right, and then go ahead."

The book also does an excellent job of exploring the motivations and goals of Sam Houston, Santa Anna and the other principle people in this dramatic part of Texas history.

The entire book is an excellent work. One of my favorite parts is when Walther Lord explains the happenings of the twelve day battle including the final surge. I also enjoyed learning about the aftermath and how Santa Anna's foolish statement of "It was but a small affair" would come back to haunt him. When Houston finally caught up with Santa Anna the 18 minute battle was amazing. It was so violent many of the Mexicans kept saying "Me no Alamo!"

Near the end of the book Lord provides a chapter called: Riddles of the Alamo. It was also a lot of fun to read. It asks the tough questions--did Travis really draw the line, did Crockett really fall fighting and so on. The answers Lord provides were well researched and unbiased.

Overall, this is an excellent historical account of a fascinating part of Texas history and the people who were there. Highly recommended!

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide to: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

I was pleased to find "A Time To Stand" in print again after many years. Although I've enjoyed every book of Walter Lord's I've read, and admit that he does his homework and strives to present the historical facts, I feel his writing tends to lean to the fluff and lacks bite. The historical subjects he has chosen to cover useually contain tragedy, (The sinking of the Titanic), and violence, (Pearl Harbor), yet his prose tends to be polite and fluffy, lacking the blood and guts of the bottom line that the events actually presented themselves in. It's almost as if there is a fictional writer in Lord screaming to be set free. Yet none of this subtracts from the hard hitting, factual research that is the nut of Lords work; he never fails to present the facts as they happened.

Lord's 'Time to Stand' is generally regarded as the definitive tale of Alamo and its aftermath, including the nearly miraculous victory at San Jacinto. Lord does an excellent job of piecing together disparate data to create a nearly seamless whole, a job necessarily incomplete because the garrison at Alamo died to the man and the few witnesses were shell-shocked, suspect or Mexican nationalists.

Still, working partially from circumstantial evidence, Lord does a commendable job and we are witness to the drama and pathos that was the siege, assault and fall of Alamo. There will always be questions as to the 'line in the sand' and whether Louis/Moses Rose actually refused to remain at his post and escaped over the wall. I think Lord's evidence that Rose escaped and survived the battle is less than compelling. Rose's chronicler, in later years, told a number of transparent lies. The 'evidence' of Rose, years later, testifying at land grant actions, telling his recollection of men who remained and died in the Alamo is fraught with contradictions and is, in my opinion, false. Every man--Texian, Tejano, Englishman, German, Irishman--in the fort that day died of Mexican gunshot and bayonet wounds.

Mexican evidence of survivors caught in the rubble after the battle is more convincing. A man surrenders, if at all possible, when he is out of ammunition with a bayonet at his throat. Human nature. It's a function of the Mexican soldier not of the defeated Texian. Was one of them Davy Crockett? Could be. Who cares? Every man stood to his post and fought the good fight. Santa Ana, hero of the Republic that he was, slaughtered the prisoners with sabers...so...it all comes to the same thing.

Personally, I think people rather misunderstand the significance and glory of Alamo--Travis, Bowie, Bonhomm, Crockett and all the others--should be honored by Mexican and Texan alike for theirs is a very Mexican style of courage--mano a mano; horned black death with muletta and sword; deguello. The significance is not so much WHY they fought. Their motives were as varied as the men, themselves. The real significance is that they STOOD. They could have run and some would have made it...but...with certain death staring them in the face, they stood. Courage beyond courage because, when it comes right down to it, motives matter not at all. They'd taken their stand and, rather than move, they died. Why? I think I can guess.

Ron Braithwaite author of novels--"Skull Rack" and "Hummingbird God"--on the Spanish Conquest of Mexico