Literature of the American South
Unaka-available on Amazon as of August 1, 2022
Holston-available August 1, 2024
Excerpt from Unaka
"I hear tell that the Bone man is a bit hard on his family," Eadie interjected, looking at Reed.
"What did Betty tell you about that? She don't tell me nuthin," Reed rasped.
"Well, Ruby Mae was buyin yarn goods at Poat's store and she tol Betty that her man works them three boys like they wuz in the Army," she related.
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"I'll say he does," Henry exclaimed raising his voice and he continued, "them three boys is out in the fields till eight and nine ever night, even after their schoolin," Henry explained.
"Hell, that's good fer um," Reed interjected. "I had Marlon loading bricks onto this ol truck with Betty last night," he bragged.
"You won't see me a havin Eadie nor any other woman folk doin the same on the Kerley farm," Henry said loudly.
Excerpt from
Holston
At this time, Arthur was 41 years old. He had never married. It was not that he didn't like women, but he never had what he thought would make him an acceptable husband. He spent his single life perpetually broke.
"I cannot support a wife when I can barely feed myself," he acknowledged. "Another thing," he had realized...." pursuing women of loose morals could lead to entrapment into an unwanted marriage should one of them get pregnant. I better stay celibate," he thought.
He had made good on this promise to himself, yet because of this he lived a life of misery. Arthur was poor, but ethical and moral. Even so, he avoiced attending church because he was constantly haunted by "unholy" thoughts about women.
