description: From Library JournalThere are certain icons of U.S. history that resonate in our collective imagination, and the Alamo is one of them. In a new and fascinating trend, books such as Lorett Treese's Valley Forge: Making and Remaking a National Symbol (LJ 5/15/95) are not only exploring the history of these icons but are also looking at the story of these sites over the years since they gained fame. Thompson, a writer and film historian, has done the same here for the Alamo. He examines the fort's beginnings as a 1718 Franciscan mission and the subsequent famous battle, then looks at such things as the history of the site since the fighting, its place in popular culture, literature, films, television, and much more. There are of course many titles on the Alamo, but they mostly focus on the event itself or on particular personalities such as Davy Crockett, Santa Anna, or William Travis. Thompson's amply illustrated and well-documented book is a new approach. This engaging and stimulating title will be popular in many public and academic libraries. Charlie Cowling, SUNY at Brockport Lib.
title: The Alamo
titlecomplete: The Alamo
genres: War, History, Nonfiction
ratings_count: 115
publisher: North Texas Press