The State of Jones

The Small Southern County that Seceded from the Confederacy

By: Sally Jenkins, John Stauffer

Narrated by: Don Leslie

New York Times bestselling author Sally Jenkins and distinguished Harvard professor John Stauffer mine a nearly forgotten piece of Civil War history and strike gold in this surprising account of the only Southern county to secede from the Confederacy.

The State of Jones is a true story about the South during the Civil War—the real South. Not the South that has been mythologized in novels and movies, but an authentic, hardscrabble place where poor men were forced to fight a rich man’s war for slavery and cotton. In Jones County, Mississippi, a farmer named Newton Knight led his neighbors, white and black alike, in an insurrection against the Confederacy at the height of the Civil War. Knight’s life story mirrors the little-known story of class struggle in the South—and it shatters the image of the Confederacy as a unified front against the Union.
This riveting investigative account takes us inside the battle of Corinth, where thousands lost their lives over less than a quarter mile of land, and to the dreadful siege of Vicksburg, presenting a gritty picture of a war in which generals sacrificed thousands through their arrogance and ignorance. Off the battlefield, the Newton Knight story is rich in drama as well. He was a man with two loves: his wife, who was forced to flee her home simply to survive, and an ex-slave named Rachel, who, in effect, became his second wife. It was Rachel who cared for Knight during the war when he was hunted by the Confederates, and, later, when members of the Knight clan sought revenge for the disgrace he had brought upon the family name.
Working hand in hand with John Stauffer, distinguished chair and professor of the History of American Civilization at Harvard University, Sally Jenkins has made the leap from preeminent sportswriter to a historical writer endowed with the accuracy, drive, and passion of Doris Kearns Goodwin. The result is Civil War history at its finest.©2009 John Stauffer and Sally Jenkins; (P)2009 Random House

Critic reviews

Praise for THE STATE OF JONES


“Just when you thought you had heard it all about the Civil War, along comes The State of Jones, an astonishing tale of rebellion within the heart of rebel territory. This is a riveting and memorable read about resistance, courage, love and, most of all, the long trail of justice and injustice in the American South. I couldn’t put it down.”
–Tom Brokaw


“The State of Jones is history at its finest and most captivating. The documentation is meticulous, yet this gem of a book reads like a novel, with a revelation at every turn. Jenkins and Stauffer have proved once again that the real history of this country is far more complex and fascinating than the prevailing mythology.”
–David Maraniss, author of They Marched Into Sunlight and When Pride Still Mattered


"In The State of Jones, Sally Jenkins and John Stauffer locate the real Civil War–and the story of our greatest national trial–in all of its specificity and moral complexity. Their research is meticulous and transparent; their writing is evocative and clear; their use of source materials and authentic voices is arresting; and their intuition about why history of this kind matters is unfailing."
–Steve Coll, author of Ghost Wars


“Jones and Stauffer tell this story with verve and insight, providing a richly detailed, dramatic narrative that is a valuable contribution to the historical literature.”
–James Simon, author of Lincoln and Chief Justice Taney


"Here is the Civil War as it really was. You can't fully know America's epic until you've read this powerful book."
–David Von Drehle, author of Triangle: The Fire That Changed America


“A marvelous story of loyalty and treason, race and blood, war and peace. The State of Jones is as compelling as it is unlikely, a tale of insurrection that illuminates the larger insurrection of our Civil War.”
–Rick Atkinson, author of An Army at Dawn


“Sally Jenkins and John Stauffer tell the fascinating tale of an unforgettable figure–6’4” Mississippi yeoman farmer Newton Knight, and his beguiling “second wife” and former slave, Rachel. The authors follow the Knight family’s extraordinary lives over the course of six decades and in the process open a window onto a forgotten corner of the American landscape.”
–Philip B. Kunhardt III, co-author of Looking for Lincoln


"Highly readable and informative." --Chicago Sun-Times

Worth the time

Now I get why the Confederate monuments are such a big deal. No punches pulled in describing the awfulness of war.

Great historical review

I enjoyed all aspects of the story. It is a very graphic history of Civil War activities.

One of greatest book ever heard

The State of Jones I highly recommend Newton Knight change the Civil War History forever.

Confederate Insurrection-Rebellion against Rebels

This book recounts the fascinating story of the insurrection against the Confederate States of America led by Newton Knight and his band of Civil War guerillas residing in Jones County, Mississippi. The history leading up to the insurrection, like most such rebellions, is complex, but it relates in large part to a class conflict; Jones County was not a heavily agricultural county and many of its citizens said they didn't want to fight the plantation/slave owners' war for them. Knight was injured during the war and decided to go AWOL, came back to Jones County and caused hell for the Confederate forces.

This was quite a drama, including an illicit love affair between Newt Knight (married at the time it started) and Rachel Knight, a slave of his father, worthy of retelling through historical fiction, be it movie or novel. The two had children together and became common law husband and wife. The drama continued well into the 20th century with a 1948 miscegenation trial for Davis Knight, one of their male descendants who had married a white lady.

I recommend this account as well as "The Free State of Jones: Mississippi's Longest Civil War" by Victoria E. Bynum.

A must read for Civil War and history buffs

This was a very interesting story about Southern rebellion, Mississippi natives fighting against the Confederacy that is. The story is well written and interesting.

One secession engenders another.

Where does The State of Jones rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of the very best.

What other book might you compare The State of Jones to and why?

None that I can think of. This is truly a unique story.

What does Don Leslie bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Well paced, varied narration makes for an interesting audio experience.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

None needed. The State of Jones is Perfect.

Any additional comments?

How just one man could take so daunting a stand is unique and astounding. What tenacity, what courage! For this reason alone this audio is a must listen.

compelling story about the war

As devastating as the story of the civil war is I was compelled to continue on. The narrator had me hooked on listening for the facts and interested in opinions. When I was in school as a child we never learned about Newton Knight, nor did we learn about southerners that were unionists. I had no interest in American history in college because the pain of poverty and racism is still a part of our country's narrative.

Very good

This is the first history book I have listened to. A very interesting look at reconstruction. I was more interested in the stories of the people than of the war. I had to skip the stories about the war. I am kind of amazed that I had never heard of a county that secedefrom the Confederation.

The third side of the Civil War

The reader was excellent, but the story is what matters. Through the eyes of an "every day" poor man in Mississippi you can see the impossibility of living in the South during the Civil War. Its not only the destruction of import from elsewhere but the stealing from the Confederacy itself.

It made me wonder how people could think of the Civil War as a valent effort for states rights, when those states consistently screwed over the poor for the gain of the rich. There are many parallels for today.

Great Story

This was a great story and not only did it tell a very interesting story about Jones County, MS, but also the nasty truth about the racism not only during the war, but also before and after.