“Excellent. . . . A volume both handy to consult and enjoyable to read.” — NC Historical Review
“Walker’s impressive essay succinctly moves from colonial and antebellum planters, yeomen, and slaves to postwar tenancy, boll weevils, and government programs before concluding with the rise of agribusiness in recent decades. . . . Researchers of southern culture will find this volume a useful starting point.” — West Virginia History
“Remarkably well done, a worthwhile endeavor deserving of the praise it is certain to elicit.” — The Alabama Review
“These new and updated essays offer fresh insights into the diverse and dynamic history of southern agriculture and industry. They remind us of the exploitation and struggle, innovation and creativity that have characterized the region’s economic past and inspire us to think critically about changes to come in the twenty-first century.” — Lu Ann Jones, University of South Florida, author of Mama Learned Us to Work: Farm Women in the New South
“The collaborative effort of long-time super-star scholars . . . and a rainbow of rising new lights, The New Encyclopedia of Southern Culture . . . is living up to its promise of combining old verities with an array of recent scholarly perceptions that make covering everything in only 24 volumes seem to be a short-sighted goal. . . . Wresting a representative snapshot of southern history from the voluminous scrapbooks and long, long library shelves on that subject is a daunting assignment, and Wilson deserves praise for taking the risk of producing a good one.” — Index-Journal (Greenwood, SC)
“The New Encyclopedia of Southern Culture provide[s] wonderful insight into the history and culture of the American South. By publishing the encyclopedia in multiple volumes, the editors have helped make this rich resource more readily available to the reading public. Future volumes . . . will be highly anticipated.” — North Carolina Historical Review
“A relaxed yet meticulous prose style suits these eclectic topics. The authors have taken a laid-back attitude, spreading their project over 28 proposed volumes, and ignoring the temptation to cram too much into each book. That’s an appropriate decision for an enlightening guide to the mythology and beliefs of the sultry South.” — Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
“This set represents a solid improvement on a celebrated work. The individual volumes will be essential for scholars of various Southern studies topics.” — Library Journal
“A valuable guide to a complex and culturally rich region that remains distinct amidst change.” — American Reference Books Annual
