Millions of people each year visit the 4.2-acre complex known 
worldwide as "The Alamo." They come to see the old mission in 
San Antonio, Texas, where a small band of Texan revolutionaries 
and other heroes fought to the death, holding out for thirteen days 
against the Mexican army of General Antonio López de Santa Anna. 
Although the Alamo fell in the early morning hours of March 6, 1836, 
the death of the Alamo defenders has come to symbolize courage 
and sacrifice for the cause of liberty. The memories of Jim Bowie, 
Davy Crockett, and William B. Travis are as powerful today as when 
the Texan Army under Sam Houston shouted "Remember the Alamo!" 
less than two months later, when it routed Santa Anna at the Battle 
of San Jacinto.

    This book is more than a fabulous tribute to those heroic few who
fell defending the mission, ultimately buying time for Houston to 
consolidate his forces. It is a thoroughly researched, vividly illustrated, 
objective description of the circumstances building up to and leading 
from that vital stand. Author Frank Thompson describes the political 
and military organization of both sides in the conflict, the weapons 
and equipment available to them, and the enduringly famous 
personalities involved. He reveals contemporary writings and reported 
views of those whose help was repeatedly begged for, and also of 
those who wanted desperately to help but arrived too late to relieve 
the Alamo.

    Narrating the dramatic battle in fascinating detail, Thompson 
builds an accurate picture of one of the greatest periods in American 
history. He also explores how the Alamo has been viewed by 
historians and by those in the entertainment industry, searching 
diligently for the truth and highlighting bias and mythology. 
Complementing the narrative are more than one hundred superb 
illustrations, many in full color, including maps, contemporary 
paintings, and specially commissioned color photographs of artifacts.

_________________________________________________________

FRANK THOMPSON is an author, filmmaker, and film historian with 
a lifelong interest in the Alamo. Among his twenty books are The 
Alamo: A Cultural History, Alamo Movies, and The Alamo: The 
Illustrated Story of the Epic Film. He has also written numerous 
articles on the Alamo for publications ranging from Texas Monthly to 
The Philadelphia Inquirer. As an authority on the subject, Thompson 
has appeared in the History Channel's television documentaries "The 
Alamo" and "History vs. Hollywood: The Alamo," and has produced 
five video releases on the Alamo. He lives in North Hollywood, California.


(U.S., Canada, and Philippines rights only)

Number Two: Frances B. Vick Series


What people are saying about this book

"For readers who seek information concerning the Alamo battle and 
its place in the national psyche, The Alamo constitutes one-stop 
shopping. Many of its illustrations are extremely rare and some have 
never appeared in public prior to their appearance in Thompson's 
book."—Stephen L. Hardin, author of The Alamo 1836 and Texian 
Iliad: A Military History of the Texas Revolution