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Editorial Reviews
Review
"Best Books of 2023" —The New Yorker
"Editor's Choice, 2023" —Booklist
"A vivid and sobering account of Grant’s efforts to crush the Klan in the South [that] gestures toward the fractured political landscape of the present day . . . Bordewich focuses on Grant’s antiterror policies, conveying the panoply of factors that led to their initial success and, later, to their tragic demise, [and] includes some heart-rending testimony from freedmen who were too terrified to go to the ballot box." —Jennifer Szalai, The New York Times
"[A] compelling chronicle [detailing] the astonishing brutality of the Klan . . . Bordewich is especially good on the origins of the Klan . . . [He] presents a convincing case that, left to their own devices, Southern whites were not about to confer real freedom on the freedmen. He is equally persuasive that by the end of Grant’s second term, Northerners were unwilling to commit the guns to police the South, much less the butter to rebuild it." —Roger Lowenstein, The Wall Street Journal
"This essential history details Ulysses S. Grant’s fight to dismantle the Ku Klux Klan during the course of his Presidency . . . Though his efforts were later gutted by a series of disastrous Supreme Court decisions, Grant’s victory, Bordewich argues, serves as a potent reminder that 'forceful political action can prevail over violent extremism.'" —The New Yorker
"Bordewich brings to life in painstaking detail the reign of terror that the Klan wrought. . . adds greatly to the growing literature on the Civil War’s aftermath. . . . a sobering reminder that rights gained can be easily taken away." —Riley Sullivan, The Civil War Monitor
"The first large-scale attempt to restore Grant’s presidency to a position of nobility for his campaign to suppress the Klan. It joins the shelf of Bordewich’s political histories, which have made him one of the outstanding independent scholars of American history. But Klan War outdoes them all, in terms of both the depth of its research and the passionate pace of its vivid storytelling . . . Bordewich’s Grant is determined, idealistic, and generous, and on those terms, it would not be too much to describe him as the first civil rights president." —Washington Monthly, Allen C. Guelzo
"Klan War is deftly written, and its pages are alight with rich details drawn from original sources. The book tells a heroic American story and reminds us, as Bordewich observes, that 'barbarism may lie only a small distance beneath the skin of a civilization.'" —Kevin R. Kosar, National Review
“[A] gripping account . . . Bordewich’s book should serve as a cautionary tale to keep us alert to the modern incarnation of the KKK, which has traded its bed sheets and hoods for coats and ties.” —Mark I. Pinsky, New York Journal of Books
“Gripping . . . Bordewich, drawing from a vast array of sources, recounts the Klan’s activities in appalling detail [and] brings to life a number of forgotten civil rights figures . . . In the latest experts’ poll, conducted in February 2024 by the American Political Science Association, Grant ranked seventeenth out of forty-five presidents, just below Ronald Reagan. Readers of Bordewich’s outstanding Klan War will agree that he may well be headed even higher in the future.” —David S. Reynolds, New York Review of Books
“By documenting what really happened in the bloody and vicious post–Civil War South and how it nullified official government policy, this history resonates on many levels . . . Bordewich introduces readers to Black leaders and white supremacist ideologues, sparing no fact, however grim, in his devastating history of how domestic terrorism tore apart the social, political, and other promises of emancipation.” —Mark Knoblauch, Booklist (starred review)
"A critically important revisionist history . . . A penetrating examination of the rise of the KKK . . . For Bordewich, Grant's decisive move proved that 'forceful political action can prevail over violent extremism.' Yet, as he makes clear in this significant work of scholarship, it did not stop the future systematic stripping away of Blacks' civil rights." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"[Bordewich] has found literary gold in his many primary sources . . . [He]s the master of the telling quotation, the appropriate anecdote." —John W. Davis, Decatur Daily
“Riveting . . . An astute assessment of an often overlooked episode in American history.” —Publishers Weekly
“A gripping, haunting story of how America’s original white supremacist movement used terrorism to crush multiracial democracy—and how, for a time, progressive elected officials in Washington allied with grassroots African Americans and their white allies to rout the reactionaries. This is history we need to vanquish violent intimidation in our own time, this time without quitting before the work is done.” —Nancy MacLean, author of Democracy in Chains and Behind the Mask of Chivalry
"An urgent history, in which the conception and spawning of the Klan, its anti-Black atrocities and crimes against humanity, the evolution of a General and President, and the possibilities and limits of political power all come roaring to life. As searing as it is suspenseful, Klan War delivers an incisive angle into a horrific chapter in American history, one that requires knowing today." —Ilyon Woo, author of Master Slave Husband Wife
"Fergus Bordewich is an expert at turning momentous questions in American history into absorbing narratives. With insight and telling details, he reveals how Grant—by nature no crusader—directed federal resources against Klan attacks on African Americans, only to be undercut by political attempts to appease the hostile Liberal Republicans. A fascinating and foreboding book." —T.J. Stiles, author of Custer's Trials (winner of the Pulitzer Prize)
"Grippingly tells the essential story of the unsung heroes who throttled the Ku Klux Klan's murderous domestic terrorism after the Civil War, only to watch helplessly as a tragic loss of political will frittered away much of that triumph. The lessons for meeting today's challenges are unmistakable and chilling." —David O. Stewart, author of Impeached: The Trial of President Andrew Johnson and the Fight for Lincoln's Legacy
"Bordewich has done it again—this time, resurrecting an incredible American story of one man’s determination to secure civil rights, equality, and justice for millions of African Americans. Deeply researched and delivered through magnificent and gripping prose, Klan Wars reclaims Grant’s historic battle to build a unified nation in the face of a pernicious, hate-filled movement that waged a vicious grassroots campaign to reassert white supremacy. A must read!" —Kate Clifford Larson, author of Bound for the Promised Land
"One of the most talented historians of our times tells the riveting story of Civil War hero President Ulysses Grant's forgotten war on the Ku Klux Klan during Reconstruction in this marvelous book. The ultimate failure to curb domestic terrorism in the post-war south carries an important lesson for our fraught times when some appeal to political violence to overthrow the US experiment in interracial democracy. This book should be required reading for all American citizens." —Manisha Sinha, author of The Slave's Cause: A History of Abolition
"Klan War takes readers into the courageous struggle of the Grant administration to defeat an American domestic terrorist campaign to overthrow the achievements of Radical Reconstruction. Bordewich’s compelling narrative, by turns, frightening, bracing, and timely, will remind readers that today’s battle between white supremacy and human justice has a long history." —Don H. Doyle, author ofThe Cause of All Nations and Viva Lincoln
"Editor's Choice, 2023" —Booklist
"A vivid and sobering account of Grant’s efforts to crush the Klan in the South [that] gestures toward the fractured political landscape of the present day . . . Bordewich focuses on Grant’s antiterror policies, conveying the panoply of factors that led to their initial success and, later, to their tragic demise, [and] includes some heart-rending testimony from freedmen who were too terrified to go to the ballot box." —Jennifer Szalai, The New York Times
"[A] compelling chronicle [detailing] the astonishing brutality of the Klan . . . Bordewich is especially good on the origins of the Klan . . . [He] presents a convincing case that, left to their own devices, Southern whites were not about to confer real freedom on the freedmen. He is equally persuasive that by the end of Grant’s second term, Northerners were unwilling to commit the guns to police the South, much less the butter to rebuild it." —Roger Lowenstein, The Wall Street Journal
"This essential history details Ulysses S. Grant’s fight to dismantle the Ku Klux Klan during the course of his Presidency . . . Though his efforts were later gutted by a series of disastrous Supreme Court decisions, Grant’s victory, Bordewich argues, serves as a potent reminder that 'forceful political action can prevail over violent extremism.'" —The New Yorker
"Bordewich brings to life in painstaking detail the reign of terror that the Klan wrought. . . adds greatly to the growing literature on the Civil War’s aftermath. . . . a sobering reminder that rights gained can be easily taken away." —Riley Sullivan, The Civil War Monitor
"The first large-scale attempt to restore Grant’s presidency to a position of nobility for his campaign to suppress the Klan. It joins the shelf of Bordewich’s political histories, which have made him one of the outstanding independent scholars of American history. But Klan War outdoes them all, in terms of both the depth of its research and the passionate pace of its vivid storytelling . . . Bordewich’s Grant is determined, idealistic, and generous, and on those terms, it would not be too much to describe him as the first civil rights president." —Washington Monthly, Allen C. Guelzo
"Klan War is deftly written, and its pages are alight with rich details drawn from original sources. The book tells a heroic American story and reminds us, as Bordewich observes, that 'barbarism may lie only a small distance beneath the skin of a civilization.'" —Kevin R. Kosar, National Review
“[A] gripping account . . . Bordewich’s book should serve as a cautionary tale to keep us alert to the modern incarnation of the KKK, which has traded its bed sheets and hoods for coats and ties.” —Mark I. Pinsky, New York Journal of Books
“Gripping . . . Bordewich, drawing from a vast array of sources, recounts the Klan’s activities in appalling detail [and] brings to life a number of forgotten civil rights figures . . . In the latest experts’ poll, conducted in February 2024 by the American Political Science Association, Grant ranked seventeenth out of forty-five presidents, just below Ronald Reagan. Readers of Bordewich’s outstanding Klan War will agree that he may well be headed even higher in the future.” —David S. Reynolds, New York Review of Books
“By documenting what really happened in the bloody and vicious post–Civil War South and how it nullified official government policy, this history resonates on many levels . . . Bordewich introduces readers to Black leaders and white supremacist ideologues, sparing no fact, however grim, in his devastating history of how domestic terrorism tore apart the social, political, and other promises of emancipation.” —Mark Knoblauch, Booklist (starred review)
"A critically important revisionist history . . . A penetrating examination of the rise of the KKK . . . For Bordewich, Grant's decisive move proved that 'forceful political action can prevail over violent extremism.' Yet, as he makes clear in this significant work of scholarship, it did not stop the future systematic stripping away of Blacks' civil rights." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"[Bordewich] has found literary gold in his many primary sources . . . [He]s the master of the telling quotation, the appropriate anecdote." —John W. Davis, Decatur Daily
“Riveting . . . An astute assessment of an often overlooked episode in American history.” —Publishers Weekly
“A gripping, haunting story of how America’s original white supremacist movement used terrorism to crush multiracial democracy—and how, for a time, progressive elected officials in Washington allied with grassroots African Americans and their white allies to rout the reactionaries. This is history we need to vanquish violent intimidation in our own time, this time without quitting before the work is done.” —Nancy MacLean, author of Democracy in Chains and Behind the Mask of Chivalry
"An urgent history, in which the conception and spawning of the Klan, its anti-Black atrocities and crimes against humanity, the evolution of a General and President, and the possibilities and limits of political power all come roaring to life. As searing as it is suspenseful, Klan War delivers an incisive angle into a horrific chapter in American history, one that requires knowing today." —Ilyon Woo, author of Master Slave Husband Wife
"Fergus Bordewich is an expert at turning momentous questions in American history into absorbing narratives. With insight and telling details, he reveals how Grant—by nature no crusader—directed federal resources against Klan attacks on African Americans, only to be undercut by political attempts to appease the hostile Liberal Republicans. A fascinating and foreboding book." —T.J. Stiles, author of Custer's Trials (winner of the Pulitzer Prize)
"Grippingly tells the essential story of the unsung heroes who throttled the Ku Klux Klan's murderous domestic terrorism after the Civil War, only to watch helplessly as a tragic loss of political will frittered away much of that triumph. The lessons for meeting today's challenges are unmistakable and chilling." —David O. Stewart, author of Impeached: The Trial of President Andrew Johnson and the Fight for Lincoln's Legacy
"Bordewich has done it again—this time, resurrecting an incredible American story of one man’s determination to secure civil rights, equality, and justice for millions of African Americans. Deeply researched and delivered through magnificent and gripping prose, Klan Wars reclaims Grant’s historic battle to build a unified nation in the face of a pernicious, hate-filled movement that waged a vicious grassroots campaign to reassert white supremacy. A must read!" —Kate Clifford Larson, author of Bound for the Promised Land
"One of the most talented historians of our times tells the riveting story of Civil War hero President Ulysses Grant's forgotten war on the Ku Klux Klan during Reconstruction in this marvelous book. The ultimate failure to curb domestic terrorism in the post-war south carries an important lesson for our fraught times when some appeal to political violence to overthrow the US experiment in interracial democracy. This book should be required reading for all American citizens." —Manisha Sinha, author of The Slave's Cause: A History of Abolition
"Klan War takes readers into the courageous struggle of the Grant administration to defeat an American domestic terrorist campaign to overthrow the achievements of Radical Reconstruction. Bordewich’s compelling narrative, by turns, frightening, bracing, and timely, will remind readers that today’s battle between white supremacy and human justice has a long history." —Don H. Doyle, author ofThe Cause of All Nations and Viva Lincoln
About the Author
FERGUS M. BORDEWICH is the author of eight previous nonfiction books, including Congress at War: How Republican Reformers Fought the Civil War, Defied Lincoln, Ended Slavery, and Remade America; The First Congress: How James Madison, George Washington, and a Group of Extraordinary Men Invented the Government (winner of the 2016 D.B. Hardeman Prize in American History); and America's Great Debate: Henry Clay, Stephen A. Douglas, and the Compromise that Preserved the Union (named best history book of 2012 by the Los Angeles Times). He lives in Washington, DC with his wife.
Review:
4.0 out of 5
80.00% of customers are satisfied
5.0 out of 5 stars If this were required reading in our schools, alongside the Constitution, it would be transformative
I realize this is a fantasy but, this book should be required reading in our schools. It won't be--particularly in a state like Florida, where it is now against the law to make people uncomfortable talking or reading about America's original sin. What I appreciated the most was the volume of detail that the author assembled. It seems odd to talk about murder, rape and torture as "engaging" but he found a way to do it. The avalanche of detail puts to rest the calumny about this nightmarish part of our history being exaggerated.I was particularly fascinated to learn the actual views of Horace Greeley, Hamilton Fish, and of course, the dastardly and faithless Carl Schurz. There's a six-part mini-series in the offing, one hopes, that will take us from Schurz's journey from the Rhine to Sleepy Hollow. And although I learned the term "carpetbaggers" in grade school, again it was the sheer volume of names and stories the author provided that made me understand how significant these people were, these purportedly effete Northerners from Ivy League schools who dared to think they could help the South recover.The portrait of Grant that emerges in this book is wonderfully nuanced. I am not one of those who has read biographies of all the presidents, so following the arc of his life was a revelation. I am certainly glad he's been re-evaluated as not one of the worst presidents of all time. Surely we have quite a few others who can wear that crown.Randomly, I also loved learning about the odd role of the Albany, NY jail in the Reconstruction, and the role of the NY Herald, which could always be counted on to say something vituperous, it seems.
5.0 out of 5 stars Very detailed history of the Reconstruction
This book focuses on the Reconstruction period following the Civil War, particularly during the first presidential term of Ulysses S. Grant. It describes the political efforts in the southern states and in Washington to try to give freed slaves a chance to establish productive and dignified lives of their own, while at the same time trying to respond effectively to the Ku Klux Klan and other reactionary people who wanted to undo the result of the Civil War and re-establish some form of slavery. A key tension during this period was between reconstructionism, a proactive federal effort to create a peaceful multi-racial society by protecting and assisting the newly-freed people; and "redemptionism," a passive northern attitude, especially among the business elite that enabled backsliding and forgot past "unpleasantness."Bordewich describes in thorough detail how the Klan gained power, the many violent acts they carried out, and the failures of various efforts to appease them. Grant had initially been reluctant to intervene, not least because the Congress was unwilling to provide resources to do so. But as time went on and the atrocities piled up, Grant gradually increased his efforts. Ultimately the Klan itself was beaten back, but the fearful attitudes of southern conservatives continued unabated, violence continued, and inequality was further baked into the political system. Some lasting progress was made, in the form of new constitutional amendments granting freedom from chattel slavery and the right to vote. But as the north lost interest, southern reactionaries found other ways to institute indentured slavery and white supremacy.Bordewich is not a happy book, and many parts are quite painful to read. It's an important book in that it goes into depth about the motivations and pressures on the leaders and on common people who were embroiled in the conflict. It offers useful insight on why certain attitudes and fears persist, and how systemic racism comes into being and is perpetuated in spite of the efforts of well-meaning people.For those who long for a follow-up book that picks up where this one leaves off, I'd recommend:Joseph, Penial E. The Third Reconstruction: America's Struggle for Racial Justice in the Twenty-First Century. Basic Books, 2022. https://www.Bolo.com/gp/product/B09PL4YT58/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_d_asin_title_o00The second book does a fast-forward to what the author describes as the "second reconstruction," the period from the Brown vs Board decision of 1954 to the 1968 assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.; and the "third reconstruction," from the 2008 election of Barack Obama to the present. In a way, Joseph's shorter book is a reward for persevering through Bordewich. It is much more positive, particularly about the Black Lives Matter Movement. Both books discuss how leaders responded to successes and failures in their early efforts, to try to be more effective going forward. Much has been learned and considerable progress has been made, even if not fast enough for many of us.
5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Read
Enjoyed the history
5.0 out of 5 stars A must read, and relevant 150 years later
Every American should read this book and appreciate our voting rights in this country. What people endured and fought for remains painfully relevant today, and I am grateful for this excellently written book that clearly recounts the immense violence and political courage to secure rights for all Americans post Civil War. It is also good to see Ulysses S. Grant be rightfully reexamined as a great hero and leader of this nation, instead of the previous depiction of him as a corrupt drunk. Excellent book, excellent writing and analysis. Should be required reading in schools.
5.0 out of 5 stars How we got here…
KKK-sponsored terrorism threatens Reconstruction. This is the bloody history occurring in the wake of the Civil War.
5.0 out of 5 stars Worth the wait and aggravation
I initially gave this book a low rating due to a binding problem that prevented me from reading the whole book. Thanks to the quick work of Bolo, I was able to return the defective product and get a new, unblemished copy of the book. I'm glad I gave the book a second chance, because it proved well worth reading. Sometimes long and pedantic, it is nevertheless a very well-researched and thorough examination of a period of history for which we need more such research. Mr. Bordewich has provided us with a source to rebut neo-"Lost Cause" apologists and book banners.
1.0 out of 5 stars Missing Pages
My copy of the hardcover book was missing 32 pages. I should have heeded the other reviews on this point and inspected my copy before the return window closed. I did not…but if you decide to buy the hardcover edition, I encourage you to inspect it for missing pages (e.g., pp. 233-264).
Publisher’s error
I just received this keenly awaited book only to discover my copy is missing pages 233-65. In their place are pages from the index, which then appear again in their correct place at the end. I expected better from a quality publisher like Alfred A. Knopf.
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Klan War: Ulysses S. Grant and the Battle to Save Reconstruction
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