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The Gates of the Alamo
The Gates of the Alamo | Stephen Harrigan
12 posts | 4 read | 3 to read
A huge, riveting, deeply imagined novel about the siege and fall of the Alamo, an event that formed the consciousness of Texas and that resonates through American history. With its vibrant, unexpected characters and its richness of authentic detail, The Gates of the Alamo is an unforgettable re-creation of a time, a place, and a heroic conflict. The time is 1835. At the center of a canvas crowded with Mexicans and Americans, with Karankawa and Comanche Indians, with settlers of many nationalities, stand three people whose fortunes quickly become our urgent concern: Edmund McGowan, a naturalist of towering courage and intellect, whose life's work is threatened by the war against Mexico and whose character is tested by his own dangerous pride; Mary Mott, a widowed innkeeper on the Texas coast, a determined and resourceful woman; and her sixteen-year-old son, Terrell, whose first shattering experience with love leads him instead to war, and into the crucible of the Alamo. As Edmund McGowan and Mary Mott take off in pursuit of Terrell and follow him into the fortress, the powerful but wary attraction between them deepens. And the reader is drawn with them into the harrowing days of the battle itself. Never before has the fall of the Alamo been portrayed with such immediacy. And for the first time the story is told not just from the perspective of the American defenders but from that of the Mexican attackers as well. We follow Blas Montoya, a sergeant in an elite sharpshooter company, as he fights to keep his men alive not only in the inferno of battle but also during the long forced march north from Mexico proper to Texas. And through the eyes of the ambitious mapmaker Telesforo Villasenor, we witness the cold deliberations of General Santa Anna. Filled with dramatic scenes, abounding in fictional and historical personalities -- among them James Bowie, David Crockett, and William Travis -- The Gates of the Alamo enfolds us in history, and through its remarkable and passionate storytelling allows us to participate at last in an American legend.
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Texreader
The Gates of the Alamo | Stephen Harrigan
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Librarybelle Thanks for the tag! 3y
bnp Thanks for tagging me. 3y
Eggs Great responses Karen!! Thanks for joining in 👏🏻📚🤗⭐️ 3y
aa_guer2021 I like the Historian, too. Interesting answers 3y
50 likes4 comments
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lauraodom
The Gates of the Alamo | Stephen Harrigan
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1. It varies.. 5 or more, maybe? I‘m trying to read all the books I have but I‘m not doing very well.
2. I could go a year without buying new books. I own a bunch I haven‘t read and I have a lot of lovely books I could re-read. I like food too much to live without meat. :-)
3. We took a train to San Antonio.
4. None for me, but got a couple of shirts for the girls.
5. Will do. 👋🏼
@jesshowbooks #friyayintro

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Martta
The Gates of the Alamo | Stephen Harrigan
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Pickpick

I liked this book! Before reading this I didn't know much details about the war between Mexico and USA. Also I thought that Santa Anna was a city and David Crockett some sort of mythical character invented for western movies. Turned out they were real people once upon a time. 😂😂

I also learned from this book that war literature in general is not for me. So those bits I didn't enjoy so much but still a good book!

Christy2318 Perfect seasonal reading. Remember the Alamo! 7y
Martta @Christy2318 I know. It was nice that in some paragraphs they mentioned the dates. For example I was reading the events that happened during the March third on March third. 7y
krismac This is one of my favorite books! I love Texas history and have been to all the battle sites. 7y
JacqMac I always thought that about Davy Crockett too. Then we went to the Alamo. I said "Davy Crockett was real?!" And my husband looked at me like I was insane. Lol 7y
Christy2318 In Texas, we spend a whole year in school on Texas history. Many of Texas' heroes have taken on legendary status so it's not surprising that people not from here don't realize they were real people. 7y
19 likes5 comments
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Martta
The Gates of the Alamo | Stephen Harrigan
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My goal of this month is to finish this and then read something else and just basically have more time to read since I've been so busy lately that it takes forever to read just one book. I'm late with this update, I know... #TBR #marchintoreading

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Martta
The Gates of the Alamo | Stephen Harrigan
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The best thing about these slow reads is that every time you open the book it's like meeting an old friend. At this point I know the characters well and I know how the world around them works. With books like this I don't mind that it takes a lot of time to read throught. It's so comfortable.

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Martta
The Gates of the Alamo | Stephen Harrigan
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#Page24 of The gates of the Alamo. #ReadJanuary

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Aloisi_tribe
The Gates of the Alamo | Stephen Harrigan
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#ReadJanuary - Jan 13th: set in my city.

I recently moved to San Antonio and I'm quickly accumulating #allthebooks I can find re: Texas history.

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Martta
The Gates of the Alamo | Stephen Harrigan
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This is my #TBR pile for January. These are pretty big books so I'm not sure if I get them all read but I will try my best. At least one of them will be read before the month is over. Best thing is that all of these will fit in my reading challenges! #readjanuary

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Martta
The Gates of the Alamo | Stephen Harrigan
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My #bookishresolutions for this year are:
-Start keeping better list on the books read during the year. (Looking at all of your stats from the year 2016 I realized that I have no idea how many books I read in a year and I'd love to find that out.)
-Do the #LitsyAtoZ challenge
-Do the #Litsyreadingchallenge

Let's do this! May the odds be ever in your favor!
#ReadJanuary

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Martta
The Gates of the Alamo | Stephen Harrigan
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Swapping between Neverending story, The gates of the Alamo and Gilmore Girls. My favourite kind of day! Books and relaxing with a lot of delicious tea.

Texreader Sounds like a lovely day!! 7y
26 likes1 comment
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Martta
The Gates of the Alamo | Stephen Harrigan
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Starting with this one before going to sleep.

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Martta
The Gates of the Alamo | Stephen Harrigan
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SaturnDoo Wooo hoo I am loving everyone's gifts☺ 7y
LeahBergen I LOVED The Gates of the Alamo. 😍 7y
Martta @LeahBergen Oh good! I tried to look it up from Litsy but the profile seems to be empty. This book and it's writer are totally new acquitances for me. But the back cover looks interesting. This will probably be the first time I read something about Texas set in this time period. 7y
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Cinfhen Loving all these posts today 😍 7y
Gissy 🎄🎅🏼🎁📚🎉🎉🎉👏👏👏 7y
Texreader I'd love to reread it when you get to read it. I was never much into Texas history--it seemed boring since I live here--but then this book; it is amazing. I really hope you like it. And my family is from around all the parts of Texas that are part of the story/history, almost back to the days of the Alamo but not quite. I hope to visit Finland someday too and learn more about your country since my dear sister in law is from Helsinki. 7y
Texreader @LeahBergen How cool that you've read it!! It is a great book: best story ever told about the Alamo and from what I understand one of the most accurate. 7y
LeahBergen @Texreader It is actually one of my all-time favourite reads ❤ 7y
Martta @Texreader That sounds interesting! I'm planning to start reading it as my holiday book. You should really visit Finland but probably not during winter time. It might be a bit of a cold experience for a person from a warmer climate. I'm thinking you might enjoy Finland. You might want to try the books also. 7y
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