A Short History of Reconstruction, Updated Edition

1863-1877

By: Eric Foner

Narrated by: Paul Heitsch

Length: 12 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's summary

In this updated edition of Reconstruction, Eric Foner redefines how the post-Civil War period was viewed.

Reconstruction chronicles the way in which Americans - black and white - responded to the unprecedented changes unleashed by the war and the end of slavery. It addresses the quest of emancipated slaves' searching for economic autonomy and equal citizenship and describes the remodeling of Southern society; the evolution of racial attitudes and patterns of race relations; and the emergence of a national state possessing vastly expanded authority and one committed, for a time, to the principle of equal rights for all Americans.

This "masterful treatment of one of the most complex periods of American history" (New Republic) remains the standard work on the wrenching post-Civil War period - an era whose legacy still reverberates in the United States today.

©2015 Eric Foner (P)2017 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

A needed unknown history

School gave short shrift to the history of Reconstruction and this book filled out much. I especially appreciate the insightful links to growing Republican conservatism after it's progressive steps to promote citizenship for freed Black's. The importance of industrial development in leaving social progress behind, and the workers' unrest during industrialization also contributed to the failure of Reconstruction in ways I hadn't thought.

Equally important is the intransigence of the Democrats in refusing to accept freedom for slave and the dignity of Black's. The Democrats' use of violence against Black's, especially in organizing the Ku Klux Klan, was made more clear.

This is a must read for any serious American.

So much I did not know

What an excellent narrative of what happened during the civil war and the Reconstruction period after. Well researched and written. I will listen a 2nd time. I think a much bette choice than the current “ White Fragility “. One walks away with a somber understanding of why even all these years later, we have not truly fixed the race situation long term.

Good supplemental reading on American history.

Enjoyed the book throughout, I learned some new aspects of the reconstruction effort. This book sheds light on delimmas facing political leaders at the time and the good and bad of their collective and individual responses.

Excellent (not really) short history

Like all books by Mr Foner beautifully crafted scholarship. While shorter then his longer reconstruction history it had more then enough for me, just about the right length. Found Mr Heitsch reading to be a bit too fast, would find myself drifting while I was listening and have to rewind

Eye Opening!

It got into a lot of the details in a very understandable way. I've listened to other books on the topic and this one did the best as.to focusing on how our government treated African Americans as it wove in the other things going on during reconstruction that had to do with all races. An excellent bookmark for understanding the whole Reconstruction period in a very efficient "read".

Depth and Deceptive

I enjoyed the quality and depth of Foner’s book. I’m surprised, however, that academia does not challenge a few weak and unsupportable elements. First, he routinely blames Radical Republicans for not being more assertive to Institute Reconstruction policy at the federal and state level. Then he describes all of the elements of Jim Crow’s vanquishing reform - defeating laws, violence through the KKK, killing black and white civic leaders. All of this was done by Southern Dems. Where’s the blame? Likewise, Foner conveniently skips the details of passage of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments - a full demonstration that even Dems in the North were anti-reform. A shame his obvious personal bias stands in the way of otherwise quality work.

Important history

The author presents a critical portion of often overlooked US history. Lovingly researched and carefully presented, this is a book I strongly recommend.