Fergus Bordewich

Fergus Bordewich has written about some of the most fascinating topics in American history. His books include “Washington: The Making of the American Capital,” “Killing the White Man’s Indian: Reinventing Native Americans at the End of the Twentieth Century” and “Bound for Canaan: The Underground Railroad and the War for the Soul of America.” In his newest book, “America’s Great Debate: Henry Clay, Stephen A. Douglas and the Compromise That Preserved the Union” (Simon & Schuster), Bordewich tells an epic story of the nation's westward expansion, slavery and the Compromise of 1850, centering on the dramatic congressional debate of 1849-1850, when a gallery of extraordinary men fought to shape and, in the case of some, to undermine the future course of the Union.

Previous National Book Festival Appearances

• 2012 Book Festival Webcast