The book is set up as a series of accounts from numerous sources. Some are verified accounts and others are third-party accounts.

The oldest discovered accounts are at the front of the book and the newest discovered accounts are at the back. As you might imagine "history" changes over time so that the older accounts tend to be believed while the newer ones are mostly fiction.

Unfortunately this makes the reading after about a hundred pages irrelevant as the author believes the latter accounts to be false, which makes me wonder why I would want to read those accounts at all.

The other aspect is there is no summary of all the accounts to give a clear picture of what really happened. I know that the author's intent was to be unbiased, but he could give the accounts then make a summary based on his investigations. This would wrap up many loose ends, which would make the book complete.

What's most obvious, by its nature, can easily escape our attention. It may therefore be worth noting that the Alamo events of 1836 are long beyond the recall of any person alive today. Theoretically, there might now be some living centenarian whose grandfather could have known James Bowie, or at least been in his presence and spoken with him - but this is conceptual, and though conjecture is fruitless it's still fascinating. We can't talk with the defenders who perished at the Alamo or with the non-combatants who survived it, some of whom actually lived into the 20th century - but in this book by Bill Groneman, EYEWITNESS TO THE ALAMO, they operatively speak to us, if not in the literal sense, then surely effectively.

Gathering information is only one facet of a researcher's work. Finding what he seeks is one of the more time-consuming features of his job. What distinguishes this book from most others is its efficiency: it presents information which apparently can't be found elsewhere in a single book, thereby saving time and effort for both the historian and the knowledgeable reader.

By their immediacy, the accounts presented here - many first-person Alamo reports by those who were there - are as insightful as the very concept of offering them in one self-contained volume. Theoretically many could have compiled such a book, but no-one else did it. This collection of accounts can be a conspicuous blessing to those interested in Western history generally, in Texas history specifically, and in the Alamo in particular.

It seems no adobe brick was left unturned in the research for this work. It is, in a very real sense, a treasury of material taken wherever possible from primary sources. While the reports themselves sometimes contradict those of others - people witness events through their own eyes and relate them from viewpoints tinted by their own experience - we're offered accounts of Alamo events from those very people who endured them. Effectively there's no substitute for this.

This book also offers a balance many others don't: reports from both the American and Mexican sides. Some of the accounts were written down or told to others long after the siege, but those who were there were by definition closer to the scene than those who weren't. The collective discrepancies in their reports (people are in fact human) prevent us from knowing "precisely" what happened at the Alamo in 1836, but that these accounts were offered by those who literally lived through the events gives us not only a more immediate picture, but perhaps more importantly, bottom-line details. If the aggregate details don't resolve conjectures or provide explanations to unanswered (or unanswerable) questions, they are still details which shed more light on what transpired there more than a century and a half ago.

While other historians compile and try to present an amalgam of data, Groneman takes us into a courtroom and displays primary evidence unsullied by legendary gloss, the ghosts of myth, and the passage of 16 decades. He places before us, devoid of cosmetic veneer, the raw material from which we can form our own opinions and draw our own conclusions.

Walter Lord, author of A NIGHT TO REMEMBER and A TIME TO STAND, wrote about another Groneman book, ALAMO DEFENDERS, "...an indispensable tool for anyone working on the Alamo... I wish I had it when I was doing my research" - an ultimate compliment, and the same sentiment can be applied to EYEWITNESS TO THE ALAMO. Interested in the Alamo? Get this book. Have no interest in the Alamo? This book can get you interested.

JEFFREY DANE

By compiling all known first-hand accounts of the siege of the Alamo (including some with a debatable authenticity, duly noted by the author), Bill Groneman has produced an excellent, handy resource for studying this famous incident. Going back to the original sources is always the best way to gain a sense of what really happened, and "Eyewitness to the Alamo" lets the reader do this with a minimum of trouble. Groneman's comments about the various source documents are a helpful guide to their reliability, although of course not everyone would necessarily agree with his every assessment (I have particularly in mind the De la Pena "Diary"). This book makes a great companion to Alan Huffines "Blood of Noble Men" in which Huffines arranges excerpts from many of these accounts into chronological order to tell the Alamo story.

This book Graven Images was good! In this book there are three stories. My favorite story out of all of these is the "Binnacle Boy". The "Binncle Boy" is about a boy who dies in a ship reck. There are not alot of pictures in my book but I still thought it was a good book.

The 3 stories were all connected in some way. But they are also very diferent,too The author puts a twist at the end.

This book was a pleasure to read. It was easy to understand. There was no violence and it had many morals we can all use. For example "don't be 'nitpickey' about things.

This page is about a book by, among others, "Paul" Furlong. I haven't read it, but neither did any of the other so called "Reviewers." Instead, we get gushing statements in praise of the actor, "Edward" Furlong. Now I like Eddie, but wake up folks: this book is not about him! Amazon should exercise some supervision and delete reviews that are obviously inappropriate, including this one.

The book, great. But you other reveiwers makee me sick! You're raving on andd on about how much you LOVE a guy you haven't met! YOU CAN'T TRULY LOVE SOMEONE YOU DON'T KNOW! You groupies are saying howEddie is so hot. And he is, but there's more to a person than their looks. Sure, I would like to meet the one who made my heart soar when I watched those movies (I even saw Home of our own In french

edward furlong is the hottest actor in the world. he shall be mine. and this book was so good. he's so cute. he's the best actor in the whole world and he shall be my husband. thank you for reading this. and that other chick who reviewed this book should hide.

Paul Chudecki has filled this small book with just about everything anyone that is either an owner of , or just interested in , the V8 engined range of Aston Martin Lagondas. He covers the development and racing heritage with a wealth of illustrations and pictures of many wonderful examples of the marques , many of them quite unique . The thirteen chapters and six appendices cover every aspect of the various marques that the V8 engine was fitted to including the DBS & Vantages , Lagondas and even the Zagato & Bulldog specials and prototypes. He has a vast repository of information to pass on and manages it superbly in this concise and well laid out book , even managing a chapter advising on the points to look for when buying and a complete reference on chassis and engine numbers for easy identification of any model found ! I found this book to be both informative as well as very absorbing as the information is given in a very easy flowing style with no lapses into geek speak.

Well worth the money either as a definative reference book or a fascinating coffee table quick read .

Despite its relative age, the quality of this book means that much of its content still holds good. The format of individual authorities writing chapters on their own specialism nicely combines the best of expertise with variety. Subjects range from analytical techniques (developing inferences,tape recorded conversations, telephone records, and particularly unique chapters on Network Analysis), to practical workplace issues like data collection and analysis, report writing, and the Intelligence Function in general. Each of the authors is well recognised and respected within the field, and the content of the book is still not repeated elsewhere in quite the same way. A good introduction to many aspects of the field and the profession, with other good references and links built-in.

The Eye - Principles and Applications, was found to be an essential tool. Forrester aims (and succeeds) to inform in detail everything a first year university student needs to know about the eye. This is the beauty of the book: It doesn't skim over anything. When you're looking for a book to give more than a general overview, but don't need the complexity a post-graduate may, a book such as this is perfect. The only valid criticism may be that the included diagrams were erratic: some were perfectly presented, but others, whilst correct, were sometimes confusing, especially for students. Overall, a useful book for research and reference.

Arriving on shelves over twenty years ago, this collaborative work by Paul B. Ryan and Thomas A. Bailey is a comprehensive, in depth reference. Although lean on illustrations, it is full of important information on the many controversies surrounding the loss of the LUSITANIA in 1915. Conspiracy theorists beware: here is undisputable evidence that the sinking of the LUSITANIA was not the result of a setup. For anyone who wants the truth behind the LUSITANIA disaster, here it is - time tested and proven.

I am a diag-rad resident. This was a recommendation from my program director, you cannot go wrong with this.

This is one of the most best illstrated books i've ever read. The detail of the photos makes it a great book, if you like to look at the pictures. There is plenty of information and lots of interesting facts. For someone who wants to get a close look down a throat of a Great White this book has the photos for you. I highly recomend this book for people with sharks on the brain.

As a future teacher I would use this book in my classroom to help me bring up hard subjects. This book is full of different themes such as broken families, friendships, respect, humor, and dealth. We see through out this book how the main characters John and Lorraine can relate to each other and are true friends. They both have a hard family life so when they meet the pigman they have an excape from their homes. They see that life can be fun. They also learn a valuable lesson on trust. The Pigman trusts them and they betray him by having a huge party at his house when he is in the hospital. They realize true friendship is more important than trying to be popular and having parties. The end of this book was very sad, but it taught a great lesson on not taking people for granted. I will not tell you how it ends becuase you may not have read it yet, but I bet you can guess. I would recommend this book to everyone. It is not a story that a person is used of reading.

I love this book. I read it about five times already. It made me cry the first couple of times a read it. What's so remarkable is that the author really seems to know how teens feel and act. He knows the pain that teens go through. It is about John and Lorraine, two teenagers, who are best friends and decide to be stupid and do prank calls. Lorraine only has her mother, and her mother always tells her how ugly and fat she is. Her mother is a bitter woman who doesn't give Lorraine her time of day. She is a nurse and is always busy. John hates his parents because they seem so old and everything in their house has to be perfectly straight and clean. There is a bit of humor in the book. They call a man named Mr. Pignati and pretend to be a charity. Mr. Pignati asks them to come over so that he can give them the money. They go to his house a little afraid, but they find out that he is a lonely, intelligent, and witty guy that only wants a couple of friends to talk to and hang out with. He starts bringing them to go shopping and buys them food and skates. Mr. Pignati shows them his room full of pigs, which he gave to his wife since his name is Mr. Pignati. It is a sad and touching story, and I really recommend it, especially to young adults. It's a great book and is often overlooked. I think that every young adult should read this book. It's great.

Through his style of writing, Paul Zindel makes it easy for anyone to make a connection with the characters. Can you picture a teenager without life dilemmas? Not in today's society, so this is one book you must have every teenager read. In this book, you will meet two dynamic characters- John and Lorraine. They are two sophomores in high school who share with the reader their adventures. John is the typical prankster. Lorraine is his sidekick. Together, they to many things. They drink and smoke at the cemetery, and play practical jokes on people. The famous telephone marathon prank was one prank that changed their lives forever. The Pigman introduces them to a whole new world. Throughout the book, John and Lorraine will encounter themes of love, compassion, and trust. In addition, you will read about the different conflicts they experience. What does John's father wants him to be when he grows up? Why Lorraine's mother hates men? Who is Bobo? When I read this book as an adult, I could not put it down! I found myself becoming part of the story. I strongly encourage every educator to have this become part of your reading collection. If you are not an educator, you should purchase or recommend this book to any teenager you know. They will not be able to thank you enough.