Rowman & Littlefield Publishers The American South: A History: 1

In The American South: A History, Fourth Edition, William J. Cooper, Jr. and Thomas E. Terrill demonstrate their belief that it is impossible to divorce the history of the South from the history of the United States. The authors' analysis underscores the complex interaction between the South as a distinct region and the South as an inescapable part of America. Cooper and Terrill show how the resulting tension has often propelled section and nation toward collision. In supporting their thesis, the authors draw on the tremendous amount of profoundly new scholarship in Southern history. Each volume includes a substantial biographical essay―completely updated for this edition―which provides the reader with a guide to literature on the history of the South. Coverage now includes the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, up-to-date analysis of the persistent racial divisions in the region, and the South's unanticipated role in the 2008 presidential primaries. Review As the first full textbook on the region's history, Cooper and Terrill's The American South has long been a staple in undergraduate classrooms, and for good reason. This comprehensive, but concise, history by distinguished scholars of the Old and New South, respectively, serves both students and instructors as an effective introduction and a ready reference. In chronicling the South's distinctive history, the authors are constantly attuned to the fact that its history was always integral to that of the nation as a whole; their ability to so adeptly balance the particular with the general makes this an engaging and eminently teachable narrative.--John C. Inscoe, University of Georgia Combining original analysis with an impressive grasp of relevant scholarship, The American South: A History is distinguished by its wealth of fascinating information and its strong narrative style. It is the kind of book that students want to keep when the course is finished.--Clarence L. Mohr, University of South Alabama About the Author William J. Cooper, Jr. is the Boyd Professor of History at Louisiana State University. Thomas E. Terrill is emeritus professor of history at the University of South Carolina.