by Timothy Eagan, 2023, Kindle Edition.

The book relates the rise of the Ku Klux Klan in Indiana starting in 1923. A man from Oklahoma abandoned his wife and child in Oklahoma and moved to Indiana where his charisma allowed him to recruit numerous followers into the KKK and became the leader of the Klan in the Midwest and Western states. His depravity eventually caused his downfall and the demise of the Klan, but prior to that it was penetrating every segment of society, including the schools, the females, the children, the schools, the judiciary, and the state and local governments.

The value of the book to me was to reinforce the understanding that we have to actively guard against any resurgence of racism in our country. There are definitely bad persons who can lead others down a very destructive path if not thwarted. The current attempt to whitewash our history by our political leaders can quickly lead to the return this situation.

The narrative was somewhat disjointed at the beginning as it depicted incidents around the country that seemed to be unrelated, but the book then focused on the story of the individuals and incidents in Indiana. The author brought it al back together in the closing chapters.