The Oxford book of the American South : testimony, memory and fiction

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This collection resonates with the voices of both black and white individuals, men and women, encompassing the powerful and the powerless. It features significant fiction and nonfiction from the South, spanning the late eighteenth century to the present. Renowned authors like James Agee, Richard Wright, Maya Angelou, and Eudora Welty are included alongside lesser-known writers whose works have gained recognition over time, such as Harriet A. Jacobs and Sarah Morgan. The anthology presents a range of autobiographies, diaries, memoirs, and journalism, along with stories and selections from novels, reflecting diverse perspectives from conservative to radical and traditional to innovative. Editors Edward L. Ayers and Bradley C. Mittendorf have curated these readings into a cohesive mosaic of Southern life and history. The sections cover The Old South, The Civil War and Its Consequences, Hard Times, and The Turning, offering a vivid record of life below the Mason-Dixon line. Perspectives from historical figures like Thomas Jefferson and former slaves are juxtaposed with later reflections from authors such as William Styron. The Civil War is explored through eyewitness accounts and the interpretations of later writers. The Southern Renaissance authors are contextualized within the hardships of their time, while post-World War II reflections include powerful pieces from Martin Luther King, Jr., George Garrett, and Peter Taylor.