“Lee Smith Talks about Southern Writing”

This chapter presents an interview with Lee Smith, who shares her views on Southern writing and William Faulkner's Absalom, Absalom! in particular. According to Lee, she read Absalom, Absalom! like some people read the Bible. She recalls that she first read Faulkner when she was in college, claiming that she was blown away by the language. She reveals that she was drawn to it because like anybody who is from the South and who would write about it, she was also alienated from it. Later, as she was trying to write, she was interested in the writing itself and in the technique. She adds that Faulkner wrote each one of his novels with a diffrent narrative strategy. Lee concludes by declaring that “Faulkner is rewarding to read at whatever point you are in life”.