Book Review: The Lynching - The Epic Courtroom Battle that Brought Down the Klan

The Lynching is a difficult book to review. In some ways it is two books in one. In one part, it tells the story of a path-breaking lawsuit that “brought down” the Ku Klux Klan. The story of the lawsuit follows a fascinating historical recounting of the Klan’s tight, symbiotic relationship with Alabama politicians and with George Wallace in particular. The first part of the book is essentially a mini-political biography of Wallace and his rise to power in Southern, and then national, politics. The Klan was a “fearless enforcer of segregation,” and segregation was the central tenet of Wallace’s being. By far, the history of the Klan’s direct and close involvement in Southern political life is the most interesting and well-researched part of the book. Also, in this highly informative section, the author recounts how the Klan would arrange in advance, with local law enforcement’s approval, to commit their violence with impunity.