McAfee County : A Chronicle

Welcome to McAfee County, home to a large gathering of characters whose stories are as intertwined as kudzu. From Brother Fisco, who vows to part the waters of Kallisaw Sound, to Maggie Poat, proprietor of the local roadhouse, all have a compassionate, good-humored champion in author Mark Steadman, who gently prods us to recognize the flawed humanity we share with McAfee's misfits, rounders, and otherwise lost souls. Moving in and out of each other's lives in profound, often shocking, ways, the men and women in these stories form a vibrant community not soon forgotten. Blend Yoknapatawpha and Lake Wobegon, add a twist of southern gothic, and you will have some idea of what is waiting for you right across the McAfee County line.

Mark Steadman is Emeritus Alumni Distinguished Professor of English and Writer in Residence at Clemson University.