James E. Crisp

A good book, demolishing some of the myths that have accrued to the Texas Revolution, especially centering around Davy Crockett's last stand. Did he die fighting? Or was he executed? In the end, this is a book concerning the historiography of Alamo history, and it examines the biases and preconceptions of historians and the public they write for, or, more often, talk past. The only thing that keeps this from getting a higher rating is the rather soupy "personal narrative" tacked on to the beginning and the end. Not to sound too harsh, but, when all is said and done, the personal bits by Crisp were added to in an attempt to assuage his liberal, white guilt for growing up in small-town Texas and once believing in heroes.… (mere)

A good book, demolishing some of the myths that have accrued to the Texas Revolution, especially centering around Davy Crockett's last stand. Did he die fighting? Or was he executed? In the end, this is a book concerning the historiography of Alamo history, and it examines the biases and preconceptions of historians and the public they write for, or, more often, talk past. The only thing that keeps this from getting a higher rating is the rather soupy "personal narrative" tacked on to the beginning and the end. Not to sound too harsh, but, when all is said and done, the personal bits by Crisp were added to in an attempt to assuage his liberal, white guilt for growing up in small-town Texas and once believing in heroes.… (mere)