Literary Nashville

I picked this book up while trolling through the library, and what a find! I have been to Nashville once, and the history didn't really stand out to me during my visit. I wish I had read this book first, as it paints a rich picture of Nashville's role in American history and the South. It hadn't dawned on me that Nashville was a frontier town until I read the early passages. As a new fan of old-time country music, there are some pretty interesting passages. My favorite, however, must be the excellent passages on race and racial issues in Nashville, particularly the Langston Hughes excerpt. Gives this book a shot if you are a fan of cultural history, especially in regards to the South and race.

I am a recent transplant to Nashville (yeah, I play the guitar) and I was eager to read about the literary history of Nashville. There is so much more to the history of this city than Garth Brooks and Vandy fever. The editor has done a great job in seeking out "high" and "low"--the Fugitives to John Berendt--to present a well-balanced picture of this city. Funny, serious, old, and new--this is probably the defiitive history of Nash Vegas' literary scene.