Lee Smith

This literary companion surveys the works of Lee Smith, a Southern author lauded for her autobiographical familiarity with Appalachian settings and characters. Her dialogue captures the distinct voices of mountain people and their perceptions of local and world events, ranging from the Civil War to ecology and modernization. Mental and physical disability and the Southern cultural norm of including the disabled as both family and community members are recurring themes in Smith’s writing. An A to Z arrangement of entries incorporates specific titles, and themes such as belonging, healing and death, humor, parenting and religion.

Mary Ellen Snodgrass is an award-winning author of English and Latin textbooks and reference works for 35 years. She taught at Hickory High School and Lenoir Rhyne University in North Carolina for 23 years. Her writing focuses on women’s and world literature and history and general research topics, including epidemics, the history of money, clothing, food, and dance. She lives in Hickory, North Carolina.

Mary Ellen Snodgrass

Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 202
Bibliographic Info: 21 photos, glossary, appendices, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2019
pISBN: 978-1-4766-7330-1
eISBN: 978-1-4766-3666-5
Imprint: McFarland
Series: McFarland Literary Companions

Acknowledgments  v
Preface  1
Introduction  3
The Companion  5
Chronology of Lee Smith’s Life and Work  139
Smith Genealogy  159
Glossary  161
Appendix A: Historical Events  169
Appendix B: Writing, Art and Research Topics  173
Bibliography  179
Index  191

• “Gives users insight into the major events in Lee’s life and how they shaped her work…provides its target audience with the tools necessary for approaching and understanding this important American author…recommended”—ARBA
• “Excellent series of Literary Companions”—Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine