English professor edits book about Lillian Smith

Dr. Tanya Bennett, a professor of English at the University of North Georgia (UNG), served as editor and contributed to the book "Critical Essays on the Writings of Lillian Smith," set for release in November by the University Press of Mississippi.

Three other UNG faculty members in the English department contributed essays: associate department head Dr. Wendy Kurant Rollins, associate professor David Brauer, and senior lecturer Cameron Crawford.

Bennett became interested in Smith's writings a few years ago when she wanted to research a Georgia author in 20th-century American literature. Smith, who lived in Rabun County, was nationally recognized for her novel "Strange Fruit," which is a tale about illicit interracial love, published in 1944.

"I thought students would connect well with someone who's from nearby," she said.

The book "tracks the evolution of Smith from a young girls' camp director into a courageous artist who could examine controversial topics frankly and critically while preserving a lifelong connection to the north Georgia mountains and people," according to the University Press of Mississippi website.

"She did not pull punches in her portrayals of the South and refused to obsess on an idealized past," Bennett said. "Her work is incredibly pertinent today. It's amazing when you read her work how much she's talking about our current culture."