About the book
This compelling volume offers the first full portrait of the life and work of writer Lillian Smith (1897–1966), the foremost southern white liberal of the mid-twentieth century. Smith devoted her life to lifting the veil of southern self-deception about race, class, gender, and sexuality. Her books, essays, and especially her letters explored the ways in which the South’s attitudes and institutions perpetuated a dehumanizing experience for all its people — white and black, male and female, rich and poor. Her best-known books are Strange Fruit (1944), a bestselling interracial love story that brought her international acclaim; and Killers of the Dream (1949), an autobiographical critique of southern race relations that angered many southerners, including powerful moderates. Subsequently, Smith was effectively silenced as a writer. Rose Gladney has selected 145 of Smith’s 1500 extant letters for this volume. Arranged chronologically and annotated, they present a complete picture of Smith as a committed artist and reveal the burden of her struggles as a woman, including her lesbian relationship with Paula Snelling. Gladney argues that this triple isolation — as woman, lesbian, and artist — from mainstream southern culture permitted Smith to see and to expose southern prejudices with absolute clarity.
Editions of How Am I to Be Heard?
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780807820957
- Paperback
- ISBN 9780807845806
- EBook
- ISBN 9781469620343
- PDF
- ISBN 9798890886484
Read an Excerpt
This compelling volume offers the first full portrait of the life and work of writer Lillian Smith (1897–1966), the foremost southern white liberal of the mid-twentieth century. Smith devoted her life to lifting the veil of southern self-deception about race, class, gender, and sexuality. Her books, essays, and especially her letters explored the ways in which the South’s attitudes and institutions perpetuated a dehumanizing experience for all its people — white and black, male and female, rich and poor. Her best-known books are Strange Fruit (1944), a bestselling interracial love story that brought her international acclaim; and Killers of the Dream (1949), an autobiographical critique of southern race relations that angered many southerners, including powerful moderates. Subsequently, Smith was effectively silenced as a writer. Rose Gladney has selected 145 of Smith’s 1500 extant letters for this volume. Arranged chronologically and annotated, they present a complete picture of Smith as a committed artist and reveal the burden of her struggles as a woman, including her lesbian relationship with Paula Snelling. Gladney argues that this triple isolation — as woman, lesbian, and artist — from mainstream southern culture permitted Smith to see and to expose southern prejudices with absolute clarity.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is How Am I to Be Heard? about?
This compelling volume offers the first full portrait of the life and work of writer Lillian Smith (1897–1966), the foremost southern white liberal of the mid-twentieth century. Smith devoted her life to lifting the veil of southern self-deception about race, class, gender, and sexuality. Her books, essays, and especially her letters explored the ways in which the South’s attitudes and institutions perpetuated a dehumanizing experience for all its people — white and black, male and female, rich and poor. Her best-known books are Strange Fruit (1944), a bestselling interracial love story that brought her international acclaim; and Killers of the Dream (1949), an autobiographical critique of southern race relations that angered many southerners, including powerful moderates. Subsequently, Smith was effectively silenced as a writer. Rose Gladney has selected 145 of Smith’s 1500 extant letters for this volume. Arranged chronologically and annotated, they present a complete picture of Smith as a committed artist and reveal the burden of her struggles as a woman, including her lesbian relationship with Paula Snelling. Gladney argues that this triple isolation — as woman, lesbian, and artist — from mainstream southern culture permitted Smith to see and to expose southern prejudices with absolute clarity.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in How Am I to Be Heard??
Society and Social Sciences > Society and culture: general > Social groups, communities and identities > Gender studies, gender groups > Gender studies: women and girls
Where can I read a sample of How Am I to Be Heard??
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780807820957
How long is How Am I to Be Heard? and how many pages does it have?
How Am I to Be Heard? has 406 page(s)
Is How Am I to Be Heard? part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?
Yes it is a part of series Gender and American Culture
Who is/are the Author/s of the book How Am I to Be Heard??
Lillian Smith
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
How Am I to Be Heard? is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780807820957) and paperback(ISBN 9780807845806) and ebook(ISBN 9781469620343) and pdf(ISBN 9798890886484)
Where can I buy How Am I to Be Heard? online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy How Am I to Be Heard? from below
Where can I buy How Am I to Be Heard??