Fergus M. Bordewich (born November 1, 1947) is an American writer, popular historian,
[Ferguson, Andrew. "Abraham Lincoln’s Radical Moderation", ''The Atlantic'', March 2020]
/ref> and editor living in San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...
. He is the author of eight nonfiction books, including a memoir, and an illustrated children's book.["Authors", Harper Collins Publishers]
/ref>
Biography
Bordewich was born in New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
[ in 1947, and grew up in ]Yonkers, New York
Yonkers () is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States. Developed along the Hudson River, it is the third most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City and Buffalo. The population of Yonkers was 211,569 as enu ...
. While growing up, he often traveled to Indian reservation
An Indian reservation is an area of land held and governed by a federally recognized Native American tribal nation whose government is accountable to the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs and not to the state government in which it ...
s around the United States with his mother, LaVerne Madigan Bordewich, the executive director of the Association on American Indian Affairs
The Association on American Indian Affairs (originally the American Indian Defense Association) is a nonprofit human rights charity located in Rockville, Maryland. Founded in 1922, it is dedicated to protecting the rights of Native Americans in ...
, then the only independent advocacy organization for Native Americans. This early experience helped to shape his lifelong preoccupation with American history, the settlement of the continent, and issues of race, and political power. He holds degrees from the City College of New York
The City College of the City University of New York (also known as the City College of New York, or simply City College or CCNY) is a public university within the City University of New York (CUNY) system in New York City. Founded in 1847, Cit ...
and Columbia University
Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...
. In the late 1960s, he did voter registration for the NAACP
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is a civil rights organization in the United States, formed in 1909 as an interracial endeavor to advance justice for African Americans by a group including W. E.&nb ...
in the still-segregated South; he also worked as a roustabout
Roustabout (Australia/New Zealand English: rouseabout) is an occupational term. Traditionally, it referred to a worker with broad-based, non-specific skills. In particular, it was used to describe show or circus workers who handled materials ...
in Alaska's Arctic oil fields, a taxi driver in New York City, and a deckhand on a Norwegian freighter.
In 2015, he served as chairman of the awards committee for the Frederick Douglass Book Prize, given by the Gilder-Lehrman Center for the Study of Slavery, Resistance, and Abolition, at Yale University
Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wo ...
. He is a frequent public speaker at universities and other forums, as well as on radio and television. As a journalist, he has traveled extensively in Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and Africa, writing on politics, economic issues, culture, and history, on subjects ranging from the civil war in Burma
Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John Wells explai ...
, religious repression in China, Islamic fundamentalism
Islamic fundamentalism has been defined as a puritanical, revivalist, and reform movement of Muslims who aim to return to the founding scriptures of Islam. Islamic fundamentalists are of the view that Muslim-majority countries should return t ...
, German reunification
German reunification (german: link=no, Deutsche Wiedervereinigung) was the process of re-establishing Germany as a united and fully sovereign state, which took place between 2 May 1989 and 15 March 1991. The day of 3 October 1990 when the Ge ...
, the Irish economy, Kenya's population crisis, and many others. He also served for brief periods as an editor and writer for the ''Tehran Journal'' in Iran in 1972-1973, a press officer for the United Nations in 1980-1982, and an advisor to the New China News Agency
Xinhua News Agency (English pronunciation: )J. C. Wells: Longman Pronunciation Dictionary, 3rd ed., for both British and American English, or New China News Agency, is the official state news agency of the People's Republic of China. Xinhua ...
in Beijing in 1982-1983, when that agency was embarking on its effort to switch from a propaganda model to a western-style journalistic one.
He is married to Jean Parvin Bordewich.
Writing career
Bordewich has been an independent historian and writer since the early 1970s. He is a frequent book reviewer for ''The Wall Street Journal
''The Wall Street Journal'' is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese. The ''Journal'', along with its Asian editions, is published ...
'' and other popular and scholarly periodicals, mostly on subjects in 18th and 19th century American history. He wrote the script for a PBS documentary about Thomas Jefferson, ''Mr. Jefferson's University''.
''Bound for Canaan'' was selected as one of the American Booksellers Association
The American Booksellers Association (ABA) is a non-profit trade association founded in 1900 that promotes independent bookstores in the United States. ABA's core members are key participants in their communities' local economy and culture, and t ...
's "ten best nonfiction books" in 2005; as the Great Lakes Booksellers' Association's "best non-fiction book" of 2005; as one of the Austin Public Library
Austin Public Library is a public library system serving Austin, Texas, United States. It is operated by the City of Austin and consists of the Central Library on Cesar Chavez Street (which replaced the old Faulk Central Library in 2017), the Aust ...
's Best Non-Fiction books of 2005; and as one of the New York Public Library
The New York Public Library (NYPL) is a public library system in New York City. With nearly 53 million items and 92 locations, the New York Public Library is the second largest public library in the United States (behind the Library of Congress ...
's "ten books to remember" in 2005.
Bordewich is a frequent book reviewer for ''The Wall Street Journal'' and other popular and scholarly periodicals, and speaks often at universities and other forums, as well as on radio and television, most often on subjects related to 18th and 19th century American history. His articles have appeared in ''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'', ''The Wall Street Journal
''The Wall Street Journal'' is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese. The ''Journal'', along with its Asian editions, is published ...
'', ''American Heritage American Heritage may refer to:
* ''American Heritage'' (magazine)
* ''The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language''
* American Heritage Rivers
* American Heritage School (disambiguation)
See also
*National Register of Historic Place ...
'', ''The Atlantic
''The Atlantic'' is an American magazine and multi-platform publisher. It features articles in the fields of politics, foreign affairs, business and the economy, culture and the arts, technology, and science.
It was founded in 1857 in Boston, ...
'', '' Harper's'', ''New York Magazine
''New York'' is an American biweekly magazine concerned with life, culture, politics, and style generally, and with a particular emphasis on New York City. Founded by Milton Glaser and Clay Felker in 1968 as a competitor to ''The New Yorker'', ...
'', ''GEO
Geo- is a prefix derived from the Greek word ''γη'' or ''γαια'', meaning "earth", usually in the sense of "ground or land”.
GEO or Geo may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* ''GEO'' (magazine), a popular scientific magazine ...
'', and ''Reader's Digest
''Reader's Digest'' is an American general-interest family magazine, published ten times a year. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, it is now headquartered in midtown Manhattan. The magazine was founded in 1922 by DeWitt Wallace and his wi ...
'', amongst others.
Reviews
''The First Congress,'' is a mainstream history of America’s first Congress. Bordewich Bordewich describes James Madison
James Madison Jr. (March 16, 1751June 28, 1836) was an American statesman, diplomat, and Founding Father. He served as the fourth president of the United States from 1809 to 1817. Madison is hailed as the "Father of the Constitution" for hi ...
, Roger Sherman
Roger Sherman (April 19, 1721 – July 23, 1793) was an American statesman, lawyer, and a Founding Father of the United States. He is the only person to sign four of the great state papers of the United States related to the founding: the Cont ...
, Oliver Ellsworth
Oliver Ellsworth (April 29, 1745 – November 26, 1807) was a Founding Father of the United States, attorney, jurist, politician, and diplomat. Ellsworth was a framer of the United States Constitution, United States senator from Connecticut ...
, Elbridge Gerry
Elbridge Gerry (; July 17, 1744 – November 23, 1814) was an American Founding Father, merchant, politician, and diplomat who served as the fifth vice president of the United States under President James Madison from 1813 until his death in 18 ...
, and Robert Morris through brief biographical sketches. "Bordewich’s noteworthy exploration of the foundation for a working constitutional government provides an important perspective on American history."
In 2013, ''America's Great Debate'' was highlighted at the National Festival of the Book, in Washington, D.C. It was named one of the Best Books of 2012 by ''The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
''. In his review, ''Post'' publisher Donald E. Graham
Donald Edward Graham (born April 22, 1945) is the majority owner and chairman of Graham Holdings Company. He was formerly the publisher of ''The Washington Post'' (1979–2000) and later was the lead independent director of Facebook's board of di ...
called the book "original in concept, stylish in execution. tprovides everything history readers want. Two things above all: a compelling story and a cast of characters who come convincingly to life."Kirkus Reviews
''Kirkus Reviews'' (or ''Kirkus Media'') is an American book review magazine founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus (1893–1980). The magazine is headquartered in New York City. ''Kirkus Reviews'' confers the annual Kirkus Prize to authors of fic ...
called it a "Wholly enjoyable study of an earlier era of intense political partisanship...Bordewich portrays a colorful cast of characters—Democrats, Whigs, Free Soilers and abolitionists—whose passionate rhetoric attained lyrical heights and brought the debate about America’s very identity to the forefront."
''Washington'' is a history of the byzantine politics behind the founding of the nation's capital and slaves who built it. Jonathan Yardley
Jonathan Yardley (born October 27, 1939) was the book critic at ''The Washington Post'' from 1981 to December 2014, and held the same post from 1978 to 1981 at the ''Washington Star''. In 1981, he received the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.
Back ...
of ''The Washington Post'' wrote, "The role played by blacks in the early development of this country has been scanted for more than two centuries... and is only recently being placed in proper perspective. Bordewich makes an important contribution to that undertaking."
''How Republican Reformers Fought The Civil War'' is a "sprawling story of legislative activism and ascendancy" of Radical Republicans after their southern colleagues left Congress. Andrew Ferguson
Andrew Ferguson (born June 28, 1956) is an American journalist and author.
Career
Ferguson is currently a staff writer at ''The Atlantic''.
Previously, he was senior editor of ''The Weekly Standard'' (defunct since December 2018), and a columni ...
, writing in ''The Atlantic
''The Atlantic'' is an American magazine and multi-platform publisher. It features articles in the fields of politics, foreign affairs, business and the economy, culture and the arts, technology, and science.
It was founded in 1857 in Boston, ...
'' wrote, "Yet in Bordewich’s telling, Lincoln had little to do with the ambitious measures, Morrill_Land_Grant_College_Act.html" ;"title="Morrill Land-Grant Acts">Morrill Land Grant College Act">Morrill Land-Grant Acts">Morrill Land Grant College Actas if the bills were signed by autopen during coffee breaks," despite the fact that the Homestead Act
The Homestead Acts were several laws in the United States by which an applicant could acquire ownership of government land or the public domain, typically called a homestead. In all, more than of public land, or nearly 10 percent of th ...
and the Railway Act were part of Lincoln's 1860 platform.[ "But misjudging Lincoln’s role as executive and his commitment to larger obligations is Bordewich’s more telling mistake."][
]
Works
Non-fiction
* ''Congress at War: How Republican Reformers Fought The Civil War, Defied Lincoln, Ended Slavery, And Remade America'' (Penguin Random House
Penguin Random House LLC is an Anglo-American multinational corporation, multinational conglomerate (company), conglomerate publishing company formed on July 1, 2013, from the merger of Penguin Group and Random House.
On April 2, 2020, Bertels ...
, 2020)
* ''The First Congress: How James Madison, George Washington, and a Group of Extraordinary Men Invented the Government'' (Simon & Schuster
Simon & Schuster () is an American publishing company and a subsidiary of Paramount Global. It was founded in New York City on January 2, 1924 by Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln Schuster. As of 2016, Simon & Schuster was the third largest publ ...
, 2016)
* ''America's Great Debate: Henry Clay, Stephen A. Douglas, and the Compromise That Preserved the Union'' (Simon & Schuster, 2012)
* ''Washington: The Making of the American Capital'' ( Amistad/HarperCollins, 2008)
* ''Bound for Canaan: The Underground Railroad and the War for the Soul of America'' (Amistad/HarperCollins, 2005)
* ''My Mother's Ghost,'' a memoir (Doubleday, 2001)
* ''Killing the White Man's Indian: Reinventing Native Americans at the End of the Twentieth Century'' (Doubleday, 1996)
* ''Cathay: A Journey in Search of Old China'' (Prentice Hall Press
Prentice Hall was an American major educational publisher owned by Savvas Learning Company. Prentice Hall publishes print and digital content for the 6–12 and higher-education market, and distributes its technical titles through the Safari B ...
, 1991)
Children’s fiction
*''Peach Blossom Spring'', Illustrator Ming-Yi Yang, Green Tiger Press
Green Tiger Press was an American publishing company known for producing reproductions of illustrations from old children's books and creating children's and gift books. The company was founded by Harold and Sandra Darling in the mid-1960s.
E ...
, 1994,
As editor
*''Children of the Dragon''
References
External links
*
Author's website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bordewich, Fergus M.
Living people
21st-century American historians
21st-century American male writers
Historians of the United States
1947 births
City College of New York alumni
Columbia University alumni
American male non-fiction writers