In Louise Manly's 'Southern Literature From 1579-1895,' readers are taken on a comprehensive journey through the development of literary works from the American South during a span of over three centuries. Manly's scholarly approach not only provides readers with insightful analyses of key literary works, but also situates them within the broader historical and social context of the Southern United States. Through detailed examinations of themes such as race, class, and gender, Manly explores how Southern literature evolved over time, reflecting the changing landscapes of the region. Her engaging writing style makes this book accessible to both scholars and general readers alike, offering a nuanced understanding of the complexities of Southern literary tradition.Louise Manly, a renowned literary scholar with a specialization in Southern literature, brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to this book. Her research background and extensive study of Southern writers and their works have undoubtedly shaped her insightful analysis of the subject matter. Manly's passion for Southern literature is evident throughout the book, making it a definitive resource for anyone interested in the genre.I highly recommend 'Southern Literature From 1579-1895' to readers who are looking to delve into the rich and diverse literary tradition of the American South. Whether you are a seasoned scholar or a newcomer to Southern literature, Manly's book offers a compelling and informative exploration of the region's cultural heritage that is sure to captivate and enlighten.

Many of America’s foremost, and most beloved, authors are also southern and female: Mary Chesnut, Kate Chopin, Ellen Glasgow, Zora Neale Hurston, Eudora Welty, Harper Lee, Maya Angelou, Anne Tyler, Alice Walker, and Lee Smith, to name several. Designating a writer as “southern” if her work reflects the region’s grip on her life, Carolyn Perry and Mary Louise Weaks have produced an invaluable guide to the richly diverse and enduring tradition of southern women’s literature. Their comprehensive history—the first of its kind in a relatively young field—extends from the pioneer woman to the career woman, embracing black and white, poor and privileged, urban and Appalachian perspectives and experiences. The History of Southern Women’s Literature allows readers both to explore individual authors and to follow the developing arc of various genres across time. Conduct books and slave narratives; Civil War diaries and letters; the antebellum, postbellum, and modern novel; autobiography and memoirs; poetry; magazine and newspaper writing—these and more receive close attention. Over seventy contributors are represented here, and their essays discuss a wealth of women’s issues from four centuries: race, urbanization, and feminism; the myth of southern womanhood; preset images and assigned social roles—from the belle to the mammy—and real life behind the facade of meeting others’ expectations; poverty and the labor movement; responses to Uncle Tom’s Cabin and the influence of Gone with the Wind. The history of southern women’s literature tells, ultimately, the story of the search for freedom within an “insidious tradition,” to quote Ellen Glasgow. This teeming volume validates the deep contributions and pleasures of an impressive body of writing and marks a major achievement in women’s and literary studies.