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“We can no longer see ourselves as minor spectators or weary watchers of history after finishing this astonishing work of nonfiction.” —Kiese Laymon author of HeavyIn Down Along with That Devils Bones journalist Connor Towne ONeill takes a deep dive into American history exposing the still-raging battles over monuments dedicated to one of the most notorious Confedera“We can no longer see ourselves as minor spectators or weary watchers of history after finishing this astonishing work of nonfiction.” —Kiese Laymon author of HeavyIn Down Along with That Devils Bones journalist Connor Towne ONeill takes a deep dive into American history exposing the still-raging battles over monuments dedicated to one of the most notorious Confederate generals Nathan Bedford Forrest. Through the lens of these conflicts ONeill examines the legacy of white supremacy in America in a sobering and fascinating work.When ONeill first moved to Alabama as a white Northerner he felt somewhat removed from the racism Confederate monuments represented. Then one day in Selma he stumbled across a group of citizens protecting a monument to Forrest the officer who became the first Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan. ONeill sets off to visit other disputed memorials to Forrest across the South talking with men and women who believe they are protecting their heritage and those who have a different view of the mans poisonous history.ONeills reporting and thoughtful deeply personal analysis make it clear that white supremacy is not a regional affliction but is in fact coded into the DNA of the entire country. Down Along with That Devils Bones presents an important and eye-opening account of how we got from Appomattox to Charlottesville and where if we can truly understand and transcend our past we could be headed next.(less)