South to America

Tayari Jones writes ‘Any attempt to classify this ambitious work, which straddles genre, kicks down the fourth wall, dances with poetry, engages with literary criticism and flits from journalism to memoir to academic writing — well, that’s a fool’s errand and only undermines this insightful, ambitious and moving project.’ Raised in Massachusetts with her heart clearly in Alabama, where she has a strong familial foothold and many childhood memories, Perry entrenched herself in the South as she researched this book. What did she find? I’ll let you find out in your own but know that this is an essential book about the South and, in turn, America.