Sam Houston: The Tallest Texan

U.S. Landmark Books #32

by William Weber Johnson, William Reusswig (Illustrator)

hardcover with dust jacket

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Childrens

185 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1953

Reviews

[Rich Farrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t think I can give many of these Landmark books five stars, although this one comes close enough for me to do it. Johnson tells an exciting story. Houston getting the arrow pulled from his leg in the beginning was cringe-worthy imagery and describing the bright Indian blanket that Houston wore to Washington really brought him to life as an independent thinker. I’ve noticed that the series is pretty reverent of native culture considering they were written in the 1950s.

I also get a kick out of how these authors address atrocities, one of which being how Johnson alludes to Houston beating his wife. He uses a fictionalized dialogue to write:
"'Sam and his wife had some kind of bust-up,' the man said. 'Nobody knows for certain what it was about. Some of the boys around here say that Mrs. Houston married Sam not because he was Sam but because he was Governor Houston. And you now how proud Sam is. Anyway, they say that when Sam found out about it somehow he lost his temper, lost it bad. But nobody knows for sure, as I said. Neither Sam nor Mrs. Houston will talk to anybody. She's gone home to her folks and Sam just stays up there in his room. They say that Sam's going to resign as governor and leave the state'" (56).

After focusing on how terrible this is for Sam Houston, he writes:
"Everywhere there were small groups of people, talking together in low voices and staring at Houston. In all the gossip about Houston and his wife some men around the town had accused Houston of cowardice and had boasted of what they would do to him if they never caught him in public" (57).

All of this is to show how they really make these figures larger than life. Wife-beater? No problem. Man having to leave town because he beat his wife? Poor fellow.

I'm reading these books specifically because I'm going to Texas in a couple of weeks now, and I like brushing up on some light history before I go to a place. One of the reasons I remember these Texas books, although i don't think I read this one before as a youth, is that it feels like the Avengers. Mid-way through, Bowie is introduced praising Texas as "in the open under God's great sky, with plenty of freedom for a man to move around" (65). It's fun to see all of these known characters coming together in what feels like mash-ups of traditional biographies.

Ultimately, Houston is a hot-head though. I enjoyed the tale about Houston dueling with Stanbery, a Congressman, and then getting Francis Scott Key to be his attorney (85). Interesting too was the idea of land speculation, especially where Johnson writes, "Adventurous men were pooling their money and setting off toward the southwest. They intended to help free Texas from Mexico. Banking firms were speculating in Texas lands, buying them at low prices and expecting them to rise sharply in value if and when Texas became free and joined the United States" (86). Reading this with hindsight of the housing market crash, it's interesting to see that banks have always been shifty and that it's mentioned here during a prosperous time.

But back to the hero-worship. Every hero needs a villain, and it wouldn't be enough to just focus on his ex-wife. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna is Houston's nemesis and is described repeatedly as "a short, sad-faced little man" (120). Houston is then described in terms that is reminiscent of the American Revolution, drawing parallels to John Hancock as Houston had the largest signature on the Texas Declaration of Independence (126) and to Washington as he made difficult decisions to lead his men, including burning the bridge behind him to keep anyone from deserting (152).

While Houston's story is interesting, Johnson's commentary on war really struck me, especially knowing that he was a correspondent during WWII and that the primary audience was post-WWII tweens and teens. Describing the citizen-army of Texans but also of any generation, he writes, "The Americans, many of whom had been peaceful farmers and had never fired a gun in anger, had become killers, maddened by the memory of what had happened to their fellowmen at Agua Dulce, San Patricio, the Alamo and Goliad" (160).

I'm not sure this book is necessary for everyone, but it makes for a solid brick in the classic castle of American myth.

[Caleb Meyers · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well-written biography of his life.

Shockingly things about Houston's life:
1. While he spoke the Cherokee language, like Penn who spoke Delaware I believe, and Crockett who knew Creek, he was surprisingly not opposed to the Trail of Tears. He repeatedly protected them from being swindled and often represented them to Washington, yet he viewed removal as necessary.
2. He loved reading the Iliad and the classic Roman historians, although he did not like school otherwise.
3. He decided to move out west when he heard rumors that his wife of 11 weeks had married him for money and prestige, and not out of love. She was so shocked that he left the governorship of Tennessee to become a pioneer that she returned home never to see him again.
4. Though he hated war, he won one of the most important battles against Santa Anna in 1836.
5. His third of fourth (I can't remember which) son became the oldest man to enter Congress at 87 years old in 1941, just in time for the attack on Pearl Harbor.
6. Though he loved state's rights, he thought the South exaggerated and made the grievances against them seem bigger than they really were; and so thought the Confederacy was formed in both an uncalled for and an untimely manner, and begged Texas to stay in the Union.

Ultimately, I hold Houston to be one of the great heroes of US.

[Heather Jacobsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish I could choose 3.5 stars, because although this isn't quite 4 stars, it is better than an average 3. I am not a big history buff, but Sam Houston and I seem to have an odd relationship. I was married near the Sam Houston wayside in Virginia years before I ever knew that I would move to Houston, Texas, then moved to Connecticut years after that, one town over from where Houston's grandfather was from. So when I saw the book on a shelf in our local restaurant, I just had to read it and find out who this man was. I read the book to my children and we were all impressed by the man that Houston was. There were moments of levity in an otherwise heavy book about war and war strategy, but the descriptions of Houston's clothing, his affection for Native Americans and his intolerance with criminals were very amusing.

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good to reread this Landmark Series biography of the Texas hero and my kinsman, Sam Houston. The content is just the right level for intermediate readers, grades 4-6, to learn about the early life and varied (sometimes controversial) experiences that made the character of Sam Houston such a compelling life story.

[Lynette Nickel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love history and also have a particular fondness for the state of Texas, having lived there from ages 2-12, hence my high rating of this book. I'm also particularly pleased with books where the protagonist has the qualities of courage, fortitude, and sticking to what they believe in even in the face of opposition. Sam Houston is an amazing example of these qualities.

[Richard Cowart · Rating 4 out of 5]

This historical account of Sam Houston is a story for junior high to high school children and adults who want to learn a little of American/Texas history in the 1800's pre-civil war. I thoroughly enjoyed this factual recounting of early Texas history.

[Brandon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book about a true Texas hero!