Southern DU'ers: Tell me about the South

[Sgent]

81. Born and raised in

Northeast Mississippi -- the poorest area of the entire country at the time of LBJ's poverty programs. I grew up in a (comparatively) progressive town of 25,000, with good schools and less historical racism (volunteer integration, no private schools) than many other areas, but my parents worked in rural areas (less than 2,000 people).

The best description of my area of the area was written by Faulkner. Its a little dated (pre-television), but he does an excellent and accurate job of describing the rural hills, and much of the thought process of the area.

If you haven't read Faulkner, I suggest starting with the novella "The Bear", then going into absalom, absalom! As I Lay Dying and The Sound and the Fury are his most well known books, but are very difficult to read until you get used to his style.