Past and Present Famous Alabama Writers
If people have a look at literature guides or even touristic guides on Alabama they shall discover that Alabama has a rich literature culture and is home to numerous authors. It can be said that each generation of Alabamians saw a number of authors some of whom became famous whilst other did not become renowned. With these successive generations of Alabamians authors, the local literary tradition has survived, grown and evolved.
The past and contemporary authors have been contributing to the notoriety of Alabama literature and to the enrichment of the local literary capital, southern literature scenery and subsequently that of American literature. Writing is an idiosyncratic process and each writer, both the famous and anonymous writers, has brought its personal touch and insights to the literary scenery.
Contemporary Alabamians Authors
William Edward Campbell is one of the most famous southern authors of the 20th Century. He is best known under his pen name William March. He was heralded by critics as being superior to the Nobel Laureate William Faulkner and cited for his unique classic modern style.
William Edward was born in a poor Alabamian family in 1893 and died in 1954. When he came back from the First World War with decorations, he began writing short stories and published his first novel entitled ‘Company K’ in 1933 inspired on his war experiences. In 1954 he published his second and last novel ‘The Bad Speed’ that was adapted to cinema.
Alabama is home to many novelists who found their inspiration in the local landscape, daily life and life experiences. One of these internationally known authors is Nelle Harper Lee who won the Pulitzer Prize winning novel in 1960 for her unique book entitled ‘To kill a Mockingbird’ which she wrote in 1959 and published in July 1960. She contributed to the present popularity of Monroeville her mother town.
Her book was about racism and her experiences of racist practices in Monroeville her home town where she grew up. The reviews about her novel unveiled that it is an autobiographical novel which the author denied. Her contribution to literature was recognized in 2007 when she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
New Generation of Alabamians Authors
A contemporary famous novelist of Alabamians origin is Mark Childress who was born in 1957 in Monroeville. He wrote seven novels amongst which ‘Crazy in Alabama’, ‘Gone for Good’ and ‘Georgia Bottoms’. He is the author of three picture publications for children entitled: ‘Joshua and Bigtooth’, ‘Joshua and the Big Bad Blue Crabs’ and ‘Henry Bobbity Is Missing and It Is All Billy Bobbity’s Fault’. He wrote a screen play for the movie ‘Crazy in Alabama’ as well.
For his contribution to the world of literature he received various awards such as the Thomas Wolfe Award, the University of Alabama Distinguished Alumni Award, the Alabama Library Association Writer of the Year, the 1994 Alabama Author Award and many other prizes.
Another contemporary best-seller novelist is Cassandra King who is native of a small town named Pinckard that is located outside of Dothan. She published her first novel named ‘Making Waves in Zion’ in 1995 and her second novel, ‘The Sunday Wife’, in 2002. She published many novels including four popular books. She is also the author of short essays and fictions that have been published in various journals and anthologies such as: in 1995 she published ‘Callaloo Alabama Bound: The Stories of a State’ and in 2004 she wrote ‘Stories from the Blue Moon Café’.
The list of Alabama authors, fiction and non-fiction writers, is exhaustive which is indicative of how rich Alabama literature is. These southern writers have been actively contributing to the renascence of the southern literature and to the promotion of their region outside national borders.