While reading The Mississippi Story by Patti Carr Black last night, I ran across a familiar photograph. It was the cover of The Known World by Edward P. Jones seen here to your left.
I absolutely love the cover art! What stories one could make of the straw-hat covered girl looking back!
Well it just so happens, this photo is by Eudora Welty! The title is Home by Dark, Yalobusha County (page 29), and it was taken prior to 1935 while Welty was employed by the Works Progress Administration. This photograph was taken on her own initiative as the book explains.
Author Black stated,
Welty said, "a good snapshot stops a moment from running away"; but her photographs do more than that. Welty was an intense observer and worked "to catch something as I came upon it, something that spoke of the life going on aound me." She was the most prolific and sensitive recorder of Mississippi in the 1930s. ~p. 28Nymeth at Things Mean A Lot just finished The Known World for our challenge. She had this to say,
The Known World is a stunning book. It’s beautifully written, it’s subtle, it’s very moving, and it’s complex. It’s a book in which several tragic things happen, but it moves beyond being a parade of tragedies. It deals with race and gender, but it also goes beyond that. I’d say it’s the best book about slavery I’ve read so far, except it’s not so much a book about slavery as it is a book about several people caught up in a system whose full consequences are not easy to grasp.
20 comments:
That is SO cool. Seriously, Eudora Welty is fast becoming one of my heros. Must start reading her collected short stories!
I'm in the library as we speak and will look for her since I changed my mind after choosing a real downer for one of my 3 books. 2 down and 1 to go and lots of time to read the next couple of days as it's suppose to snow tonight. It does that at 9000 feet in the Colorado rockies. Have a great week.
Judy
I love the story about that photo. I read The Known World a few years ago and agree it was a very powerful book. I'd have to say for me the most powerful book on slavery that I ever read was Beloved.
I actually read Beloved right after reading Gone with the Wind - which made being a slave seem like a good career option!
I haven't read anything by Eudora Welty, but I would like to! I am reading The Known World for a challenge, and it's so neat to know a little bit about the cover picture. Thanks for sharing!
I had no idea the photo was by Eudora Welty! Like Eva said, that's so cool!
Sounds like one I'd really enjoy.
After reading Roots and Uncle Tom's Cabin, I suppose I should go for this.
And I am taking this challenge as per your suggestion. I have a copy of In Cold Blooda Truman Capote and To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.The latter would be re-read after twenty years, I think. Is that ok?
Do put in my name for the challenge. Let's see if I can get hold of more Southern books.
I don't mind, begging, borrowing or stealing! Wot say? Any takers?
:D
Amazing! Who knew she took incredible photos, too?!
Yay, Eva! She was very creative. :)
Snow would be quite a trick here in Mississippi, GrandLife. :) Hope you find something fun and a little more upbeat. Were you talking about Carson's Heart is a Lonely Hunter as being a downer, by chance?
Except for birthin' babies, GwtW house slaves had it made. :)
Did you ever read The Wind Done Blown? Even though GwtW is rather racist, I know some black people that love it. Even the author of TWDB said it was her favorite, and this is why she wrote from a slave's point of veiw, Diane.
Laura, is there anything on the cover page that acknowledges Welty? I went all over the house looking for my copy, and think I must have donated it to the library!?! Any info would be appreciated. :)
Nymeth, me neither! I have always loved that photo, and the way the publishers added color gives it a warm feeling. I almost fell out of my chair, ran all over the house looking for my copy, then just googled it. And, yep! It was the same exact picture! :)
Read it UT Mommy! I would love to hear your take. :)
It would be the perfect tripod to have for understanding the ilks of slavery, Gautami. I also like your other books; although, In Cold Blood is actually set in the midwest. For this challenge, one needs only to read three books. Oh, and I would send you my copy, but I can't find it! :)
Tiffany, she had all kinds of artsy talent. As a child she developed a comic strip! :)
How is your OBCB reading coming along? I'm, uh, behind, let's just say!! ;)
That's why I can't join your Southern Reading Challenge, unless Missouri counts as the South. In that case, I am reading The Perfect Man by Naeem Murr, which has a very Southern feel to it.
Angela, hate to break this to you, but Missouri IS a southern state! So, you could possibly join the SRC and would have to read two more!
I fell off in my reading, too. Feeling a little guilty last night, I hunted down The Botany of Desire which had me snoring in no time. ;)
Maggie, I mentioned you in my blog today . . . thought I should put in a plug for someone so inspiring! I think I'll read 'The Known World' as my 4th Southern book. I've already finished your challenge, but haven't posted about 'Mudbound' and 'The Auto. of Miss Jane Pittman', yet. Have a nice night!
Ah, thanks Miss Idiarts! How kind of you! Already finished the challenge?!? Thanks for staying with us and playing. There are so many more contest to go.
Oh, I would love to hear your views on Mudbound and TAoMJP. What must the Alaskian Librarians think of your southern strain on the library system? ;D
Eudora Welty was both a fabulous writer and photographer. To be honest, I like her photography better than her writing (so far), but I've only read one book. That doesn't quite count, does it? :)
Bookfool - The first book I read of hers was her autobiography, One Writer's Beginnings. From there I read the short Why I Live at the PO and led a book discussion on The Optimist's Daughter. I read Early Escapades compiled by Patti Carr Black of Welty's young writing life. It is like a scrapbook of her silliness from childhood to college. I have enjoyed all of these tremendously and heartily recommend them! Hope this helps you find something better. :)
I love her photos, and keep thinking I should buy a book of them.
She had tremendous talent, Nan. :)
Post a Comment