I was lucky enough to sit down with Dr. Tanya Long Bennett to discuss her new book “I have been so many people”: A Study of Lee Smith’s Novels. It is a comprehensive analysis of all of Lee Smith’s novel up through her 2006 novel, On Agate Hill, including her short stories, this study argues that Smith’s fiction examines the psychological challenges of living in a society that is, on some level, “rootless.” Using post-structuralist theory and narratology, Bennett elucidates Smith’s unique narrative explorations of identity. She argues that Smith has made an important contribution to Southern literature, in her consistent focus on the Southerner’s post-Civil War self-conflict, and to contemporary literature in general.
Tanya Long Bennett is a professor of English at University of North Georgia, where she has taught for thirteen years. She earned her PhD in English at University of Tennessee. Her research focuses on twentieth and twenty-first century fiction, as well as gender studies.
We have organized book launch party on July 1st at 7:00 pm at the Vickery House. This celebration is open to the public and all are invited to attend. The author will be signing copies of her book. Please help us celebrate UPNG’s newest publication!