Features

Welcome to Itta Bena, Little Lady!
by Lewis Nordan
A young boy is captivated by his father’s unforgettable ex-girlfriend.

Spirituality in the Modern Novel
by Donna Tartt
A writer takes a look at faith against the backdrop of a secular literary tradition.

Fiction

AWARENESS
by Wendy Brenner
Bomb threats, illness, a warped relationship—what does it take for a woman to become aware?

CHRISTMAS EVE
by Tony Earley
A Christmas surprise turns into a childhood discovery.

MY HAND IS JUST FINE WHERE IT IS
by William Gay
On a trip to Nashville, two lovers are forced to face a situation beyond their control.

Columns & Departments

Gone Off Up North
THE UNVANQUISHED
by Roy Blount Jr.
Ever hear the story of Faulkner's barefooted tennis game?

Dealer’s Choice
THE LAST SOUTHERN HERO
by Hal Crowther
Frank Johnson was Jim Crow's most powerful natural enemy.

Local Fare
A ROOM OF OUR OWN
by John T. Edge

Comics
by P. Revess

Photo Essay
FAITH & DOUBT
In Contemporary Southern Photography

Book Views
“OH, I KNOW WHO YOU ARE. YOU’RE WILLIAM FALKNER. YOU LOOK JUST LIKE YOUR PICTURES.”
by Donald Kartiganer

Book Views
A NATIVE SON’S SECRET LIFE
by Anthony Walton

Book Views
COMMON, ALL TOO COMMON
by John Jeremiah Sullivan

Southern Music
WHAT’S OLD IS ALWAYS NEW AGAIN
by Tom Piazza

Southern Scenes
THE BLIND SERPENT HANDLER, 1987
Photograph by Shelby Lee Adams

Poetry

Autobiography of a White Girl Raised in the South
by Kate Daniels

On the cover: “Anna as Chinese Princess. Sumner, Mississippi. 1997.” by Maude Schuyler Clay