The story opens with the birth of two men who were to shape America and a major part of its history, Sam Houston in western Virginia and Antonio Lopez de Santa-Anna Perez de Lebron in Xalapa, Mexico. Michener writes, "It was as if two powerful birds entered the sky within a single year. The Eagle in the south, The Raven in the North, each circling and gaining strength, each progressing in the consolidation of its powers."

Houston’s early life was hard. When he was fourteen, he moved to Tennessee with his mother and siblings. He left home when he was sixteen to live with the Cherokee Indians. When he was nineteen, despite the fact that he had no formal education, Sam Houston opened a school to pay off his severe debt. Despite his lack of knowledge, the school was run with an iron fist and succeeded incredibly well. After a year, with his debt paid and the lust for battle calling him to the war with England, he closed his school and joined the military. In a mere four weeks he was promoted to Drill Sergeant and shortly afterwards to ensign. He was promoted to lieutenant after a heroic display at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. He served as representative to the Cherokee Nation until he left the army in 1818 after a conflict with secretary of war, John C. Calhoun. They were to remain enemies for life. Houston studied intensely for six months and became a very proficient lawyer. He also dabbled in acting, a skill which would aid him for the rest of his life, especially in his election as Tennessee representative in 1823. He was re-elected to Congress in 1825 and promoted to Governor in 1833. In 1833, he married Eliza Allen, a marriage which didn’t last a year. In 1833, Houston attended Texas’ Constitutional Convention which developed the document that would establish the fledgling government. In 1836, he became the General of Tejas’ army. Every event in his life thus far was building to one conclusive climax...the Battle of San Jacinto.

Santa Anna started out humbly as well. His father was a mortgage broker of pure Spanish blood. At sixteen, he enlisted with the Spanish army and within three years was a first lieutenant in the cavalry with three very prestigious victories already under his belt. In 1813, he played a major part in the slaughter of Americans at the Battle of Medina. As his Military power grew, he became more and more politically fickle. His opinions and support swayed incredibly from ruler to ruler. The people of Mexico didn’t seem to mind, however, and he gained more power with every change, including the rank of General. In 1833, he attained the rank of President, an office he would hold on eleven different occasions. He was actually elected five times, but would resign and go off and sulk at his home whenever situations grew too awful until the people would insist that he reclaim his presidency. This happened six times through the course of his life. While in office, he still led his people in battle in such events as the infamous rape of Zacatecas and his campaigns in Texas, which included his victories at the Alamo and then Goliad. His life and career also built to an exploding eighteen minutes on a small river known as the San Jacinto.

San Jacinto was one of the most important battles in American history and certainly the most important in Texas’ past. The battle raged for less than twenty minutes on April 21, 1836 between the Texan army of 900 and the Mexicans, who numbered 1250. By the end of the battle, 600 Mexicans lay dead, and only three Texans with them (though seven more later died of wounds). Santa Anna had fled the scene and was later captured cowering in the tall grass wearing a foot soldier’s uniform. The six Texans who discovered him led him back toward camp, not knowing who he was. In fact, he was almost shot because of his slowness from being unaccustomed to walking. He was given away when he was led by a group of Mexican captives who saluted and yelled, "Presidente!" When brought before a wounded Houston, he said, "You have defeated the Napoleon of the West." He was allowed to leave on the condition that Mexico let Texas be. This is a promise that had no intention of being kept.

Houston went on to become the first and third president of Texas, served in the Texas legislature, and helped get Texas admitted into the Union. While a part of the United States, Houston served as Senator and Governor of Texas. When the secession of Texas came into play, Houston stepped down as Governor. He refused to lead Texas into such a futile war as the one against the North. He died two years later, in 1863, surrounded by his second wife and his children.

Santa Anna led a much longer and much more embarrassing life as did Houston after San Jacinto. Despite the fact that he lost all of the Tejas lands, he reestablished himself as a national hero and leader using the same political strategy he had always kept...root for the winner. To begin with, Santa Anna lost his right leg in a ridiculous little War with France known as the Pastry War in 1838. He had four wooden legs made for different occasions and kept them with him at all times. He was then elected to a second and third presidency in 1839 and 1841. In 1842, he had an elaborate burial ceremony for his amputated leg, complete with all of the bishops and cardinals in Mexico in attendance. During one of his less popular times, the peasants in Mexico tore down his statue and dug up his leg. They dragged the bones through the streets as Santa Anna looked from the capital in horror. In 1845, while Texas was becoming a state, Santa Anna was exiled for life to Cuba. He returned less than a year later to receive his fourth presidency and attend to the war with America in which he lost the lands that are now New Mexico, Arizona, and Southern California. Despite this grievous defeat, Santa Anna was elected to his fifth and final presidency which later turned into a dictatorship. Over the next nineteen years, Santa Anna was exiled and returned to Mexico four more times. He returned the last time only to live out his last two years in poverty and disgrace in the poor section of Mexico City, still believing that he would rise from the ashes and reclaim leadership of his beloved country.

I learned a great deal about the history of Texas as it relates to Mexico and vice-versa. I learned that Sam Houston had a dark side which led him to be a vicious brawler and dueler. He was a great tactician by nature, and a born military man. I had always viewed Santa Anna as a vicious, maniacal monster who slaughtered some of my greatest heroes at the Alamo. This was verified. What I learned about him was his weak side, the side of him that longed for the limelight late in his life that he never received. Santa Anna is responsible for the invention of chewing gum, which I found fascinating. Most of all, I realized that two people and eighteen minutes can determine the outcome of millions, and even billions of lives.

I greatly enjoyed this book. I couldn’t even put it down and I’m sure that anyone interested in Texas or Mexican history would feel the same way. It was well written, was not full of empty, meaningless facts and dull stories as historians are apt to write, and had a great compare and contrast view on two fascinating subjects. I highly recommend it.