This was a good book, telling the story of the founding of the State of Texas up to the Civial War and including lots of facts and tidbits of all the major and even minor Characters that played such a vital role in the birth of Texas as part of the United States.

From a historiographical perspective, this book was such a disappointment. Brands relies heavily on secondary sources and just a few primary sources to support a mythological history of the Texas Revolution. The perspectives of Mexicans, abolitionists, and non-whites were either ignored or smugly derided. I wanted to learn more about the history of my new home, but I can't help but feeling that I've been misinformed or too narrowly informed to give me a very balanced education on the subject.

Brands produced a book that has a highly readable style. He hits the high points of the Mexican and Republic eras, but rarely gets into too much detail. The major characters, such as Austin, Travis, and Houston are covered just enough so that you don't think of them as iconic heroes. Two things struck me as interesting: the Texas army were total mavericks--unwilling to follow a command unless it suited them. Also, the Texas Republic was inept at governing. It had no power, couldn't tax and needed an Army but couldn't pay for it. All the while, the political visionaries knew that Mexican statehood was just not gonna happen. I'll read more by this author.

A detailed and well documented history of Texas, from the time of Mexican province, to Independent Republic to a state in the Union, touching on the start of the US Civil War. While that covers from approximately the 1820's to 1861, the largest section covers the war of Independence against Mexico from 1835-36.

Brands is an historian and college professor (UT-Austin) who has written dozens of books in the last 35 years. He has great attention to detail and seems to heavily source his material from writings of the times and from those who were directly involved. He does a good job in bringing the historical icons to life - not as men and women to be revered but as human beings following their hearts, minds, pursuit of riches and freedom. In doing so, he paints real pictures of real people (warts and all). He writes of those who came to Texas for all the above mentioned reasons, with a focus on those who helped start the migration from the United States to Texas (Austin, Bastrop), those who fought to gain independence (Houston, Fannin, Travis, Milam, Crockett, Bowie, Burleson), those who fought against it (Santa Anna, Cos, De La Pena) and the politicians who worked to use the cause of Independence for their own reasons (Houston, Jackson, Adams).

Brands makes a compelling case that Texas' independence and then annexation into the United States helps to bring to the surface, divisions that 20 years later lead to the US Civil War based on several things: Slavery was outlawed in Mexico, US settlers brought their slaves into Texas when they settled, US politicians debated the annexation of Texas largely from the point of slavery - would it be allowed or not (abolitionist vs. secessionist; states rights vs. big government).

While it took me a long time to read, a chapter at a time between other less intellectual books, it was thoroughly enjoyable and enlightening - as my previous grasp of Texas history pretty much began and ended at The Alamo.