All Y'all

Queering Southernness in US Fiction, 1980–2020

By Heidi Siegrist | Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press

About the book

The South is often perceived as a haunted place in its region’s literature, one that is strange, deviant, or “queer.” The peculiar, often sexually charged literary worlds of contemporary writers like Fannie Flagg, Monique Truong, and Randall Kenan speak to this connection between queerness and the South. Heidi Siegrist explores the boundaries of negotiating place and sexuality by using the concept of Southernness—a purposefully fluid idea of the South that extends beyond simple geography, eschewing familiar ideas of the Southern canon. When the connection between queerness and Southerness becomes apparent, Siegrist shows a Southern-branded queer deviance can not only change the way we think about literature but can also change Southern queer people’s lived experiences.

Siegrist gathers a bevy of undertheorized writers, from Kenan and Truong to Dorothy Allison and even George R. R. Martin, showing that there are many “queer Souths.” Siegrist offers these multiverses as a way to appreciate a place that is often unfriendly, even deadly, to queer people. But as Siegrist argues, none of these Souths, from the terrestrial to the imaginary, would be what they are without the influence and power of queer literature.

Editions of All Y'all

Hardcover
ISBN 9781469682808
Paperback
ISBN 9781469682815
EBook
ISBN 9781469682822
EBook
ISBN 9781469682846
EBook
ISBN 9781469682853
PDF
ISBN 9781469682839

Read an Excerpt

The South is often perceived as a haunted place in its region’s literature, one that is strange, deviant, or “queer.” The peculiar, often sexually charged literary worlds of contemporary writers like Fannie Flagg, Monique Truong, and Randall Kenan speak to this connection between queerness and the South. Heidi Siegrist explores the boundaries of negotiating place and sexuality by using the concept of Southernness—a purposefully fluid idea of the South that extends beyond simple geography, eschewing familiar ideas of the Southern canon. When the connection between queerness and Southerness becomes apparent, Siegrist shows a Southern-branded queer deviance can not only change the way we think about literature but can also change Southern queer people’s lived experiences.

Siegrist gathers a bevy of undertheorized writers, from Kenan and Truong to Dorothy Allison and even George R. R. Martin, showing that there are many “queer Souths.” Siegrist offers these multiverses as a way to appreciate a place that is often unfriendly, even deadly, to queer people. But as Siegrist argues, none of these Souths, from the terrestrial to the imaginary, would be what they are without the influence and power of queer literature.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is All Y'all about?

The South is often perceived as a haunted place in its region’s literature, one that is strange, deviant, or “queer.” The peculiar, often sexually charged literary worlds of contemporary writers like Fannie Flagg, Monique Truong, and Randall Kenan speak to this connection between queerness and the South. Heidi Siegrist explores the boundaries of negotiating place and sexuality by using the concept of Southernness—a purposefully fluid idea of the South that extends beyond simple geography, eschewing familiar ideas of the Southern canon. When the connection between queerness and Southerness becomes apparent, Siegrist shows a Southern-branded queer deviance can not only change the way we think about literature but can also change Southern queer people’s lived experiences.

Siegrist gathers a bevy of undertheorized writers, from Kenan and Truong to Dorothy Allison and even George R. R. Martin, showing that there are many “queer Souths.” Siegrist offers these multiverses as a way to appreciate a place that is often unfriendly, even deadly, to queer people. But as Siegrist argues, none of these Souths, from the terrestrial to the imaginary, would be what they are without the influence and power of queer literature.

What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in All Y'all?

Biography, Literature and Literary studies > Literature: history and criticism

Where can I read a sample of All Y'all?

You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781469682808

How long is All Y'all and how many pages does it have?

All Y'all has 234 page(s)

Who is/are the Author/s of the book All Y'all?

Heidi Siegrist

Who is the Publisher of the book All Y'all?

The University of North Carolina Press

What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?

All Y'all is available as hardcover(ISBN 9781469682808) and paperback(ISBN 9781469682815) and ebook(ISBN 9781469682822) and ebook(ISBN 9781469682846) and ebook(ISBN 9781469682853) and pdf(ISBN 9781469682839)

Where can I buy All Y'all online or support local independent bookshops?

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Where can I buy All Y'all?