First published 1987
In these Alabama tales, William March presents a gallery of Southern characters navigating their small-town lives. The Little Wife struggles with her place in marriage and society. Happy Jack carries secrets behind his cheerful demeanor. Personal letters reveal hidden truths between correspondents. A funeral brings a community together while exposing long-buried tensions. Dirty Emma lives on the margins, judged by neighbors who know little of her real story. Mist settles over meadows where these people work, love, and suffer. March captures the weight of daily existence in stories that reveal how ordinary moments can shift everything. Each character faces choices that will define who they become. The collection shows how people carry their burdens in a place where everyone knows everyone else's business, yet true understanding remains elusive.
Genres: literary-fiction, american-fiction, 20th-century, contemporary
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: character-driven, slice-of-life
Setting: Alabama
Period: 20th-century
506 pages · Paperback · Univ of Alabama Pr