by Donald Hays
First published 1989
This collection gathers contemporary Southern voices telling stories that span continents. Andre Dubus, William Goyen, Mary Hood, Tom T. Hall, Lewis Nordan, and Jayne Anne Phillips contribute works set across diverse landscapes from Italy to Ireland, Montreal to Barbados. Despite their geographic range, these stories share a distinctly Southern sensibility. The writers employ varied techniques to explore an equally broad spectrum of subjects. Editor Donald Hays selected pieces that complement rather than compete with each other. Lewis Nordan's "Sugar Among The Chickens" exemplifies the collection's blend of humor and craft. Each story stands as first rate work, making favorites difficult to choose. The anthology captures what one reviewer called the "spunk and fire" alongside a "broad streak of recurring orneriness" that characterizes this literary moment. These Southern writers prove their regional identity transcends geographic boundaries.
Genres: fiction, anthologies, 20th-century, american, contemporary, 21st-century
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, lyrical
Tropes: found-family, varied-techniques
Setting: Barbados, Ireland, Italy, Montreal, Southern
Period: Contemporary
454 pages · Hardcover · University of Arkansas Press