Inhabiting Contemporary Southern and Appalachian Literature

The idea of place remains one of our most basic yet slippery concepts. It is a space with boundaries whose limits may be definite or indefinite; it can be a real location or an abstract mental, spiritual, or imaginary construction. This thorough examination of the importance of place in southern literature examines the works of a wide range of authors, expanding the definition of ‘here’ beyond mere geography, offering nuanced readings that examine tradition and nostalgia and explore the existential nature of ‘place’.