The Southern Literary Review celebrates southern authors and their contributions to American literature. We feature the classic writers who have defined southern literature, and we highlight emerging authors through interviews, profiles, and book reviews. In an effort to back independent bookstores and to encourage creativity in the publishing world, SLR is an IndieBound supporter.
“A Common Person and Other Stories,” by R. M. Kinder
May 12, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Reviewed by C. D. Albin At first glance, characters in R. M. Kinder’s A Common Person and Other Stories appear ordinary enough. Their occupations are quotidian—students, professors, retirees, an occasional factory worker or attorney—and outwardly their lives circumscribe regular routes and routines. Inwardly, however, Kinder’s characters are quietly rebellious, pushing back against louder, more forceful […]
C. D. Albin
May 10, 2021 by Leave a Comment
C. D. Albin is author of the award-winning story collection Hard Toward Home (Press 53) and the poetry collection Axe, Fire, Mule (Golden Antelope Press). He has contributed nonfiction to a number of publications, including American Book Review, Georgia Review, and Harvard Review. For many years he has taught writing and literature at Missouri State […]
May Read of the Month: “The Tender Grave,” by Sheri Reynolds
May 6, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Reviewed by Donna Meredith The Tender Grave, by Sheri Reynolds, not only offers interesting characters and strong imagery, but it also builds an unusual level of tension and suspense for a literary novel. Witness this early passage: She hadn’t been to bed, not all night, and though she’d brushed her teeth before she left, her […]
Southern Festival of Books Announces Virtual and In-Person Dates
May 3, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Tennessee’s Largest Literary Event Returns for its 33rd Year with Virtual and In-Person Programming NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Humanities Tennessee is pleased to announce that the 33rd annual Southern Festival of Books: A Celebration of the Written Word will take place in-person, Saturday and Sunday, October 9-10 at downtown’s War Memorial Plaza. Organizers of the event, the state’s […]
“The Favorite Daughter,” by Patti Callahan Henry
April 28, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Reviewed by Becca Spence Dobias The Favorite Daughter begins with a shocking inciting incident—one that immediately hooks readers. After laying this exciting groundwork, however, the writing begins to feel predictable. The main character, Colleen, feels like someone we’ve read before—the cynical New Yorker, burned by betrayal, commitment-phobic, and married to her work. When news of […]
Lee Zacharias
April 21, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Lee Zacharias was born in Chicago and grew up in Hammond, Indiana. She has written 3 previous novels, a collection of short stories, and a collection of essays. Many of her essays have been cited by The Best American Essays, and “Buzzards” was reprinted in the 2008 edition. She has held fellowships from the National […]
Abigail DeWitt
April 20, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Abigail DeWitt is the author of three novels: Lili (WW Norton), Dogs (Lorimer Press), and News of Our Loved Ones (HarperCollins). Her short fiction has appeared in Narrative, Five Points, Witness, Alaska Quarterly Review, Carolina Quarterly, and elsewhere. She has been cited in The Best American Short Stories and has received grants and fellowships from the North […]