A review by larryerick
Blood at the Root: A Racial Cleansing in America by Patrick Phillips

5.0

I wish I was in a more capable state of mind to provide a review equal to the quality of this book. First is the quality of this author's writing. While this is a non-fiction limited history report, it is provided by a poet. No, a real one. I've read several excellent novels and short story collections from poets, but this will be my first historical book from one, at least to my knowledge. In any event, the skill set reveals itself in many fine ways, including concise flowing narrative. Secondly -- and I guess this may be a poetry thing, too -- the author takes a rather stark, in your face topic and finds layers of insight, not only for the times in which these events occurred but also, very much so, to the current American political and societal conditions. There is a particular time about a century ago in American history upon which this book derives its core, but the author finds depth through supporting events that take place decades apart and right up to the time when the author's own family is involved and bears direct witness. Regardless, I will make this final point. Toward the very end of this book, the author sort of throws out a here's-where-we-are now-years-later assessment, and it is so much apart from what happened before that the reader may then ask, "So, why should we care about what no longer exists?" I challenge other readers: What made those changes occur and how do we go about recreating them, especially in light of today's American conflicts that are so clearly mirrored in the past?