An overall framework for understanding the key problems of the period. This is an important book, providing food for thought, if only because, tonally as well as substantively, it offers a counterpoint to the dominant narrative." - Journal of the Civil War Era "A valuable resource for scholars who teach in the field of Reconstruction." - Register of the Kentucky Historical Society "No short review can do this rich book justice." - Arkansas Historical Quarterly "Summers's rich and careful new history of Reconstruction stands out in a crowded field.[His] mastery of the sources has allowed him to write an impressively thorough history of the period, and to pull together diverse strains with uncommon sophistication." - H-Net Reviews "Readers interested in Reconstruction will find Summers' book to be a rollicking, deeply researched overview.[A] colorful guide to the politics of the era.

" - Journal of Interdisciplinary History "Summers has devoted almost half a century to a study of the period, and it shows." - Blue & Gray Magazine "Effectively captures the turmoil and frustrations of the era. [and] shows how economic woes affected Reconstruction's prospects." - Publishers Weekly "Skillfully written and a benefit to students, scholars, and those fascinated with the postwar years." - Southwestern Historical Quarterly "A superb spinner of tales. An important book, full of details and insights, and it deserves serious attention." - Journal of Southern History "Marvelously written." - CHOICE "A new narrative of the period featuring novel interpretations and sparkling insight.

" - North Carolina Historical Review.