A Companion to the Literature and Culture of the American South (Blackwell Companions to Literature and Culture)

Product Description From slave narratives to the Civil War, and from country music to Southern sport, this Companion is the definitive guide to the literature and culture of the American South. Includes discussion of the visual arts, music, society, history, and politics in the region Combines treatment of major literary works and historical events with a survey of broader themes, movements and issues Explores the work of Edgar Allan Poe, Mark Twain, William Faulkner, Zora Neale Huston, Flannery O'Connor and Eudora Welty, as well as those - black and white, male and female - who are writing now Co-edited by the esteemed scholar Richard Gray, author of the acclaimed volume, A History of American Literature (Blackwell, 2003) Review "The exhaustive range of part 2, "Themes and Issues" merits praise. Rather than focussing on literature or a narrow definition of culture, the editors have solicited some fine essays in subjects ranging from music and religion to sports and popular culture." (American Studies, April 2009) A CHOICE ‘OUTSTANDING ACADEMIC TITLE’“The latest volume in Blackwell's "Companions to Literature and Culture" series features 33 brief essays that run the gamut of the Southern experience, from the Jamestown settlers to the contemporary era…Like Blackwell guides, the quality of the essays is high, and the authors cover as many points as possible within the space limits given them. Highly recommended. All academic and public libraries.”  (Choice)"[T]he many contributors, British and American, to this splendid compendium of fact and opinion demonstrate the rich variety of literature and music that has emanated from the South in the past 150 years [...] The Companion is methodical in its overall structure and is comprehensive, informative and clearly written throughout. Each chapter has extensive lists of references and further reading and the index is full and accurate. This is a work that will remain a vital source for students of the subject and that can be profitably used by readers in general." (Reference Reviews) From the Inside Flap From slave narratives to the Civil War, and from country music to Southern sport, this Companion is the definitive guide to the literature and culture of the American South. Consisting of over 30 original contributions, each of them written by an acknowledged authority in their field, the Companion reveals the diversity of the Southern region, as expressed in different forms of thought, work, and imaginative play. The first major section, concentrating on themes and issues, looks at the distinctive cultural characteristics of the American South and includes discussion of the visual arts, music, society, history and politics. The second focuses on writers who have made significant contributions to Southern thinking and the imaginative reinvention of the South. These include Edgar Allan Poe, Mark Twain, William Faulkner, Zora Neale Hurston, Flannery O’Connor and Eudora Welty, and range from the earliest writers in the region to all those – black and white, male and female – who are writing now. From the Back Cover From slave narratives to the Civil War, and from country music to Southern sport, this Companion is the definitive guide to the literature and culture of the American South. Consisting of over 30 original contributions, each of them written by an acknowledged authority in their field, the Companion reveals the diversity of the Southern region, as expressed in different forms of thought, work, and imaginative play. The first major section, concentrating on themes and issues, looks at the distinctive cultural characteristics of the American South and includes discussion of the visual arts, music, society, history and politics. The second focuses on writers who have made significant contributions to Southern thinking and the imaginative reinvention of the South. These include Edgar Allan Poe, Mark Twain, William Faulkner, Zora Neale Hurston, F