Alamo Heights

In 1903, the Alamo was almost destroyed. A large eastern business interest came with plans to raze the abandoned Hugo-Schmeltzer warehouse and erect modern buildings in its place. The old warehouse was an eyesore and stood as a daily reminder that perceived progress is only transitory. The problem? The gaudy wooden building, that in some ways resembled an amusement park structure with it's crenelated exterior and fake cannon, sat atop the original stone construction of Mission San Antonio de Valero's convent--a.k.a. the Long Barracks. In short, they wanted to tear down the Alamo.Under the leadership of two extraordinary women, Adina de Zavala and Clara Driscoll, the Daughters of the Republic of Texas engaged in what became known as the "Second battle for the Alamo." Clara Driscoll, a wealthy socialite, put up the $75,000 necessary to buy the property with the understanding that the State of Texas would buy it back and assign custodianship to the DRT. Adina de Zavala, a Mexican-American woman whose roots ran deep in Texas, was a fierce advocate for preserving the historical structures of San Antonio. Two women from two different cultures, but with a common goal.Because we hold the Alamo and all that it represents so dear, it's surprising, that the people of Texas were once politically divided on this issue. For five long years there were turbulent disputes. It finally took Adina de Zavala barricading herself inside the Alamo for three days to bring resolve to the situation and to protect the buildings from demolition.In Scott Zesch's novel, the title "Alamo Heights" represents the social struggle between Anglos and Hispanics and within the strata of Hispanic culture itself. In 1903, Alamo Heights was the Knob Hill of San Antonio. If you lived in Alamo Heights, then you had arrived.In the novel, Adina De Zavala is characterized by Rose De Leon Herrera, the wife of a young aspiring lawyer, Antonio Herrera. In one sense, she and her husband "have arrived" and are part of San Antonio's social elite. At the same time they must struggle to remain there. Antonio Herrera is constantly mortified by his wife's outspoken behavior for fear it may topple him from his hard-won social position. Rose Herrera wants to protect the Alamo as a symbol of her heritage. To do so, she comes to odds with nearly everyone. Clara Driscoll is characterized by Alva Carson Keane a young girl of privilege who has become a popular modern romance authoress. Alva's reasons for saving the Alamo property, we find, are to erect a monument to her late cattle-baron father.Both women are strong characters and conflict ensues as their egos and cultures clash. This conflict becomes clear when we discover that Alva is heir to Tres Piedras, a large cattle ranch near Laredo that once belonged to Rose's grandfather. Bad blood, culture and race separate these two women, but they are brought together by a common bond: to save the Alamo. Zesch introduces us to an equally strong character in sculp

This was a fascinating read. Mr. Zesch has taken a sweeping historical saga and distilled it to its human core. It was refreshing to read that the battle for the Alamo was about more than Davy Crockett and his coonskin cap. I celebrated Rose's triumph as if it were my own. I am convinced this author has much more to say. I can't wait to read his next work.

This book is very entertaining. One of the best ways to judge a book is to ask yourself, "Do I want to learn more about this topic?" With Mr. Zesch's book the answer is emphatically "Yes!".

As a native San Antonion, I picked up this novel because of its name. I was pleasantly surprised to find such an interesting and entertaining historical novel. I didn't remember the story of the woman who saved the Alamo from History Class, but I enjoyed learning about it. The main character, Rose, is very intense and passionate about her cause, saving the Alamo, and about her family. It was fun to watch the twists and turns of the plot unfold. I stayed up two nights in a row till 2a.m. to find out what would happen next. I liked the style of including letters and telegrams throughout the book, as well as Spanish words sprinkled among the text. I would recommend this highly.

Alamo Heights is a wonderful, entertaining book. Buy it