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laura_corsi's review
5.0
Beautiful meditation on the history and landscape of Mississippi and how it has inspired and shaped generations of writers and artists. Eubanks love for Mississippi and sorrow for her sins fills every page. Loved!
hatrireads's review
4.0
Such a special book - takes us through my home state through the voices of the writers of this place. I'll add a review later - read to write a review for a publication and I can't publish that review here. But I loved this - so many of my favorite writers and favorite places while still being realistic and truthful about Mississippi's horrible past and current problems.
beatniksafari's review
4.0
W. Ralph Eubanks provides an overview of the writers, past and present, who have shaped -- and been shaped by -- the unique culture of Mississippi, and who seek to tell the stories of this complicated place. I had the good fortune to attend a teachers' workshop in the Mississippi Delta some years ago, and learned so much about the history and landscape of the state. This book added another dimension to my learning.
kimscozyreads's review
5.0
Listened to as an audiobook, which- apart from the narrator's dedication to pronouncing Lafayette county wrong- was lovely.
I learned a lot I didn't realize about the literary heritage in my home state and it made me quite proud of that. The book doesn't shy away from our ugly past, but it explores the good here too. Some of the origins discussed quite literally hit very close to home.
I also learned that Angie Thomas is from Jackson, which I somehow missed despite having listened to The Hate U Give as an audiobook as well.
This was a special topic to me and I think I would quite like to own the hardback edition to read it in the future and show to friends.
I learned a lot I didn't realize about the literary heritage in my home state and it made me quite proud of that. The book doesn't shy away from our ugly past, but it explores the good here too. Some of the origins discussed quite literally hit very close to home.
I also learned that Angie Thomas is from Jackson, which I somehow missed despite having listened to The Hate U Give as an audiobook as well.
This was a special topic to me and I think I would quite like to own the hardback edition to read it in the future and show to friends.
shannanh's review
5.0
The author takes you on a visual tour of the state of Mississippi that has inspired a variety of landscapes that have inspired authors from different areas of the literary industry that have lived there from past authors to present and very well known authors. It was such an eye opening read.
I received a copy of the book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review
I received a copy of the book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review
pldean's review
5.0
This outstanding literary road trip through my home state offers a primer on the people, the land, and the literary history of Mississippi. Highly recommended!
libbycrews's review
5.0
I have taken my time to read this book. I wanted to savor every minute of it. The book travels the landscape of Mississippi from the Gulf Coast to the Hill Country and back down to the Delta. When my copy arrived I was surprised. I was not expecting a book that falls somewhere between a coffee table book and a creative non-fiction novel, but that is what this is. The book is full of gorgeous photos from throughout Mississippi. Mississippi’s regions are varied, and Eubanks does a fantastic job making that clear. As he travels with us throughout the state, we are introduced to the writers of the region. You will know some; others you may not know. I have read a great many pieces of Mississippi literature, and still I walked away from this book with a lengthy To Read list. I wish I had this book when I began my Mississippi Writer’s class. The next time I teach it, this book will be the required first reading. If you are a Mississippian interested in the writers of our state and the land they inhabited, this book is for you. If you are a lover of Southern literature, this is a great resource for welcoming you to the Mississippi literary landscape. If you are interested in how large portions of American literature and cultural history stem from one state, this book will open your eyes. It’s all around beautiful in photography and in word.