Counterfeit Southern gothic?

WCU professor and award-winning fiction writer Ron Rash contributes a worthy anecdote to Oxford American‘s new “Best of the South” issue. It’s nice to see a local featured — but, in my opinion, the rest of the issue epitomizes what’s been wrong with the magazine since its (third or fourth — who can keep count?) relaunch a couple years ago under an all-new masthead.

George Singleton’s rant about wannabe writers and their exhibitionist ways at coffee shops is good stuff, but the fiction is utterly head-scratching: Hannah Pittard’s story about two rabid sisters priming one another’s bodies for a juicy bite while their old grandpa rots away in the next room is apparently trying to be some sort of sensual magical-realism, but reads way more in the vein of that awful Nick Cave novel The Ass Saw the Angel, the Bad Seed’s nearly unreadable own stab at Southern Gothic. (“Strange new fiction!” the OA promises on the cover.) And what’s up with one Andy Selzberg of Brooklyn getting front-cover status pretty much just because he likes a brand of potato chip supposedly made in Louisiana? How is this relevant?

The old OA didn’t look as good as the new one — check out that super-funky folk art, so colorful and quirky! — but neither did it seem to be trying so very hard. There’s a breath of disconnect pervading the magazine’s new incarnation, somebody’s idea of what a magazine featuring Southern writers and/or Southern subjects should be rather than, well, simply a magazine featuring Southern writers and/or Southern subjects. It’s like those little clusters of newly constructed arts-and-craft-style bungalows cropping up on Sand Hill Road and other areas about town: attractive, yes, but a trifle false. Waiting for a hurricane. If there were hurricanes here.

— Melanie McGee Bianchi, staff writer

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.