Janklow: A Novel of Power and Politics on the Prairie

by Greg Redlin

Watching your hero fail after blazing trails without inhibition—or consequence—is a transformative journey for one man in this riveting historical fiction highlighting power’s dark side.

In South Dakota at the latter half of the twentieth century, the name Bill Janklow is synonymous with political success and notoriety. Janklow’s colleague and critic, Jake Keating, first meets his mentor when Chief Prosecutor Janklow interviews him for a job at the state’s Attorney General office. For years afterward, Jake follows wherever Janklow goes, from long-term governor to congressman to criminal.

Eventually Jake comes to learn what power does to people and the bad parts about politics—especially its grip on the brightest potential. As he becomes caught up in Janklow’s antics, eventually the job comes between them and the people closest to him.

Ultimately, Janklow’s corruption breaks him…and Jake must decide what he wants his own legacy to be.

307 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 14, 2024

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having spent most of my life in South Dakota, I enjoyed this read. I enjoyed reading this perspective on Janklow's life. The last few chapters fast forward quite a bit, so it helps to have knowledge of when these events actually occurred.

[Chelsie Hermsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grew up in South Dakota during the second half of the Janklow years. I was into politics even at that young age. I also knew I was a Democrat even at the young age. But I always liked and respected Janklow. I never knew him but yet...........I did know him. He made you feel as if you ,did.

It seems so long ago.........a time where you could like someone even if you disagreed with them. A time before algorthims chose what news we see. A time where things weren't driven by how many likes something would get. A time where we didn't know every single detail about how our laws were made.

Reading this book took me back to that time.

I did have one problem with the book. It was presented as a novel, not a work of non-fiction. To me if felt like the author was saying "yeah.........I was too lazy to do the research so I'm calling it a novel." However, a friend pointed out that they may have had to call it a novel for legal reasons. I had not thought about that. I'm read a lot and I have never came across something that feels like non-fiction but called a novel. But then I stumbled on another book that did the same thing. I guess you see something new every day

[Elizabeth Theiss Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re a South Dakota politics nerd like me, you will inhale this book. I read it through breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and every free moment between.

Janklow is a fictionalized account of the political career of South Dakota’s most colorful governor, narrated by a fictional young lawyer in his employ. After spending years zealously defending Native Americans on the Rosebud reservation, Janklow runs for and wins the office of Attorney General of South Dakota. In that role, he prosecutes members of the American Indian Movement (AIM), some of whom are former allies.

The narrator speculates as to what drives Janklow. Is it ego? Power? Ideals? Political advantage? Redlin explores what drives this intelligent but flawed man’s motives.

Ultimately, Janklow wins a congressional seat that he forfeits after being convicted of manslaughter after hitting and killing a motorcyclist while speeding through an intersection on a rural road.

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a lifelong resident....of a 'certain age', of SD..........I remember a lot of this .......& it explains a lot! What a great way to learn, or review, history!

[Jolane Tomhave · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very readable, painful (to an indigenous reader) story of the ongoing problematic politics in the small rural state of South Dakota.