My Master: The Inside Story of Sam Houston and His Times Paperback – September 17, 2007

This book was a godsend to me, especially in this special month where we celebrate black history. I was speaking with a beautiful woman, and we got on the subject of pecan pie. Since she was only visiting in my state, she told me when she returned to her state of Texas, she would mail me a whiskey pecan pie. She did, and with it she felt a push to send a book, a book she was proud to disclose, told a part of her family history.When I received My Master, I immediately started reading, and was shocked to find that this distant relative of hers actually grew up in the town where I was raised in Texas. But he was alive during the worst part of African-American history.At times My Master felt like a gut punch. It also made me tear up. But it also brought laughter and hope and appreciation. Jeff Hamilton is the epitome of someone who was given lemons, and made lemonade. He found ways to appreciate his circumstances, and not become bitter. And in doing so lived to a ripe old age.

"Uncle Jeff" clearly had a lot of personality and it comes through in this book. I can see how the students at Baylor regarded him as an institution. This man's life story is incredible and I'm glad someone thought to interview him before he passed away.A multitude of famous episodes are described first-hand and I really enjoyed reading about them from his point of view. I don't think I'm alone in that I would guess that his account probably isn't 100% objective given his obvious pro-Houston bias. (I'm guilty of the same bias myself).His descriptions of some of the more poignant moments towards the end were much stronger coming from this first hand account compared to when I read about them in other books.This is a quick easy read. Even though I already knew the story of Sam Houston's life this portrayal still pulled me in.

I enjoyed this book about the “Father of Texas” as told by Jeff Hamilton. Who better to tell the story than someone who spent so much time with Sam Houston. I went to Sam Houston’s gravesite in Huntsville about two weeks ago. It was sad as tombstones and monuments were broken, toppled over, and scattered on the ground. Mr Houston’s grave itself has been neglected. Everyone has a point of view. Maybe read Jeff Hamilton’s point of view about his life. His last wish was to be buried at Sam Houston’s feet. He loved him that much.

I watch a web site from the Texas Archive of the Moving Image. They showed a short 1935 silent newsreel about Mr Jeff Hamilton. He was an impressive person in his own right, with perfect posture and the air of an old time southern Gentleman.The video mentioned this book, 'My Master', which is an oral history of Mr Hamilton's life as a slave and latter free employee of General Sam Houston. I was happy to find it available here on Amazon.The book is fascinating. One thing I really enjoyed was the many mental pictures 'Uncle Jeff' provides about the daily life of Texans of all classes back in the mid-nineteenth century. These days it is hard to imagine how primitive and dangerous life was back then, even for the rich and famous.Mr Hamilton provides vivid first hand accounts of Sam Houston in good times and bad.It's one thing to read a dry history book. It's another and better thing to hear history from a man who lived it. This book is well written and easy to read.Highly recommended.

Great book. The first ch. title can be a shocker . Given the cultural climate and world view of the time , the book is an accurate description of what life was like for Jeff Hamilton. I read this book by myself to summarize it for my class , because of public sensitivity surrounding the slang term . Aside from that - not sure if it was Hamilton’s decision to title that chapter or not. Hamilton explains the life that he led and the relationship with Sam Houston vividly ! Great primary resource, straight from someone who lived it!

Super quick read - short. Not written that great but it's the viewpoint that makes it valuable.

Excellent information, enjoyed it, took me back to the days, help me understand general Sam Houston.

Another excellent book on the history of African-Americans, bond and free, in Huntsville, Texas, who excelled in spite of their circumstances.