The Better Part of Valor: A Story of the Alamo (Paperback)

by Trish Bennett (Author)
Key Phrases: cannon platform, Trish Bennett, Santa Anna, The Better Part of Valor (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
No event in human history has captured the imagination like the battle of the Alamo. It is a tale of bold men whose honor, courage and sacrifice made them heroes in the fight for Texas independence. The Better Part of Valor chronicles the 13-day siege of the Alamo fortress through the eyes of its commander, William Barret Travis, and Caroline Girard, a woman whose life would change forever one fateful day in March.

About the Author
Trish Bennett is a reporter for The Herald newspaper in Circleville, Ohio. She is married, a mother of three, and lives with her family in Ashville. "The Better Part of Valor" is her first novel.

Product Details

• Paperback: 132 pages
• Publisher: IUniverse (January 2, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595160158
• ISBN-13: 978-0595160150
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #3,551,421 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Reworking the Alamo Myth, October 30, 2002

By	Brian Kaufman "Author/Book Lover" (Laporte, Colorado USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

"The Better Part of Valor" is a crisp, fast-paced read that tells the Alamo story from William Barret Travis's perspective. Travis has been neglected by novelists, but Trish Bennett breathes fresh life into the character, imagining him as a young swashbuckler. (Walter Lord once commented that Travis's image may have suffered damage from Amelia Williams's dissertation and Lawrence Harvey's priggish portrayal of the Alamo commander in John Wayne's movie, "The Alamo.)

The novel spans the thirteen days of siege, deriving its suspense from the "ticking clock" of dramatic irony. The historical Travis must have wrestled with the weight of command, given the grave consequences of his leadership. Ms. Bennett focuses her narrative on a relationship with the novel's female protagonist, and the doomed relationship serves as an effective metaphor for Travis's ambivalence.

The novel's most enjoyable aspect is the female protagonist. The object of Travis's affection, Caroline Girard is a worthy heroine, full of spit (literally) and vinegar; a character that was both believable and dramatically satisfying.

Despite the author's reliance on myth over accuracy (Ms. Bennett ignores the historical Travis's attempts to arrange terms of surrender), I found "The Better Part of Valor" to be a thoroughly enjoyable read, one that I would not hesitate to recommend.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very enjoyable read, June 26, 2002

By	Jennifer L. Duff "Zvanoizu" (Marysville, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I know next to nothing about the Alamo other than the few basics one learns in U.S. History class. Ms. Bennett's book reveals the heroism of the Alamo's defenders through a love story that focuses on the fort's commander, William Travis, and a young woman named Caroline Girard.

I had a difficult time putting the book down and while I had a sinking feeling about how things would end, I utterly enjoyed the story Bennett had to tell. I hope she publishes again soon.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An enigmatic character out of Texas History, February 25, 2002

By	Cloud Hunter (Italy) - See all my reviews

I liked this little book. As a long time student of the battle of the Alamo, I've found it's commander, William Barrett Travis, to be a rather enigmatic figure. Ms. Bennett fleshes his character out in a believable way, and weaves a nice little romance in with Alamo facts. A most enjoyable read as a romance with a good dollop of well researched hard historical fact. Ms. Bennett has done an excellent job!