By World War II, the Southern Renaissance had established itself as one of the most significant literary events of the century. Bonded by a strong sense of place and of familial relationships, southern writers have plumbed the depths and explored the reaches of their regional consciousness to create an extraordinary body of literature. This comprehensive history covers the rise of southern literature. 288 pp.

J. A. Bryant Jr., professor emeritus of English at the University of Kentucky, is the author of Shakespeare and the Uses of Comedy and Hippolyta's View.