Mitch Ploskonka traces the rise of Grit Lit, a genre of contemporary literature that grapples “with the sociohistorical baggage of poor white representation.”
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All articles filed in Reviews
It Was the Future Brewing: On Nancy Lemann’s “The Oyster Diaries”
A review of Nancy Lemann’s newest novel, “The Oyster Diaries.”
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“Queen of Bats” Questions Convention
The stories in Rachel Reeher’s debut collection underscore the gap that often exists between appearance and reality.
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“The Book Witch” Casts a Spell
A review of Meg Shaffer’s “The Book Witch.”
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Startling and Sublime: Beth Ann Fennelly’s Micro-Memoirs
Former poet laureate of Mississippi, Beth Ann Fennelly, maven of the micro-memoir, has done it again with “The Irish Goodbye: Micro-Memoirs.”
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The Distance Between the Truth and What We Choose to Believe in “Make Sure You Die Screaming”
Make Sure You Die Screaming by Zee Carlstrom is a delightfully dark thrill ride perfect for a quick weekend read. The “thriller” label is well-earned as Carlstrom’s narrator drags the reader along on a full-fledged crash out that is orders of magnitude beyond the average burnout response. The narrator claims to have “burned [their] entire…
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Homesickness, Grief, and Appalachia in “Small Town Girls”
A review of Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Jayne Anne Phillip’s new memoir, “Small Town Girls.”
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Girlhood is Something Fierce and Bruising in “I’ll Take My Body To Go”
Girlhood is cracked open to glisten in Kindall Fredericks’ electrifying new collection, “I’ll Take My Body to Go”
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“A History of Heartache” Is a World Where No Saviors Are Coming
Bleak, clear-eyed, abrasive, and thoughtful stories about the forgotten folks of East Texas.
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“The End of Romance” is Cerebral, Messy and Made for Book Clubs
Some books are meant to be book club books, and I sincerely believe The End of Romance by Lily Meyer should be on the list for your next book club pick. This is a polarizing book. Some are going to love the philosophical, anti-romance of it all. They will eat up the cerebrally prone main…
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Southern Review of Books 