The New Encyclopedia of Southern Culture: Volume 11: Agriculture and Industry (v. 11) [Hardcover]

Melissa Walker (Editor), James C. Cobb (Editor), Charles Reagan Wilson (Series Editor)

Book Description

Series: New Encyclopedia of Southern Culture | Publication Date: September 30, 2008

Volume 11 of The New Encyclopedia of Southern Culture examines the economic culture of the South by pairing two categories that account for the ways many southerners have made their living. In the antebellum period, the wealth of southern whites came largely from agriculture that relied on the forced labor of enslaved blacks. After Reconstruction, the South became attractive to new industries lured by the region's ongoing commitment to low-wage labor and management-friendly economic policies. Throughout the volume, articles reflect the breadth and variety of southern life, paying particular attention to the region's profound economic transformation in recent decades.

The agricultural section consists of 25 thematic entries that explore issues such as Native American agricultural practices, plantations, and sustainable agriculture. Thirty-eight shorter pieces cover key crops of the region—from tobacco to Christmas trees—as well as issues of historic and emerging interest—from insects and insecticides to migrant labor. The section on industry and commerce contains 13 thematic entries in which contributors address topics such as the economic impact of military bases, resistance to industrialization, and black business. Thirty-six topical entries explore particular industries, such as textiles, timber, automobiles, and banking, as well as individuals--including Henry W. Grady and Sam M. Walton—whose ideas and enterprises have helped shape the modern South.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

The award-winning Encyclopedia of Southern Culture was published as a single volume in 1989, but the new edition is being issued as a series of individual topical volumes to “extend the reach of the reference work to wider audiences.” Volume 11 is divided into two parts, one incorporating entries from the “Agriculture and Rural Life” section of the first edition, and the other incorporating “Industry and Commerce.” The new “Agriculture” section has 25 entries on broad themes and 38 shorter entries on more-specific topics, while the new “Industry” section has 13 broad thematic entries and 36 shorter ones. Entries in both parts have been updated, new entries have been added, and “the particular contributions of Native Americans and women are acknowledged more fully.”

Review

"Remarkably well done, a worthwhile endeavor deserving of the praise it is certain to elicit."
--The Alabama Review

"Walker's impressive essay succinctly moves from colonial and antebellum planters, yeomen, and slaves to postwar tenancy, boll weevils, and government programs before concluding with the rise of agribusiness in recent decades. . . . Researchers of southern culture will find this volume a useful starting point."
--West Virginia History

"Excellent. . . . A volume both handy to consult and enjoyable to read."
-- North Carolina Historical Review

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 376 pages
• Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press (September 30, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807832405
• ISBN-13: 978-0807832400
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #875,352 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointed with this book., August 7, 2009

By 

civilwarCannon (Houston, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The New Encyclopedia of Southern Culture: Volume 11: Agriculture and Industry (Paperback)

I bought this book to serve as a quick desk reference for various industries in the South. I thought that I could look up iron, for example, and find a good overview of the historiography--when and how did the industry develop in the South, where were some of the centers of industry, etc. That is not the case for coal, iron, or tobacco, which are just three fairly significant industries that I spot checked. These entries do not account for the latest scholarship and most pick up in the post-Civil War years ignoring industry in the 18th and 19th centuries. Likewise tobacco picks up with the yellow-leaf industry of the late 19th century in NC and KY with no mention of how the sweet variety was developed and why flue-curing came about in the first place (which is what spurred the enormous growth of the industry in the 20th century). For me, it was a wasted purchase because I don't trust the entries--regardless of limited space, some detail needs to be included or referenced in the additional readings for it to be a quality encyclopedia article.