Synopses & Reviews
Born in rural North Carolina in 1933, into the last generation before the lines of segregation were broken, the young Mary Mebane felt herself trapped in a "world without options." But even in the face of poverty, racism, and the chilling certainty that her mother's affection would never be won, she vowed to escape.
In this powerful autobiography, first published in 1981, Mebane recalls the joys and chores of her country childhood, the pain of her alienation from her family and community, and her dawning awareness that in her gifts for language and learning lay her key to freedom. With her graduation from college comes a triumph that is both hard-won and bittersweet.
Review
What stays with me from Mebane's book
Mary are the descriptive passages about day to day life in the rural South .
Alice Walker
Review
I can not remember when I have read a book more moving.
Harrison E. Salisbury
Review
A graceful and subtly crafted autobiography.
Sewanee Review
Review
A quirky, highly personal, touching book.
Katha Pollitt, Mother Jones
Synopsis
In this powerful autobiography, first published in 1981, Mary Mebane recalls the joys and chores of her country childhood, the pain of her alienation from her family and community, and her dawning awareness that in her gifts for language and learning lay her key to freedom. With her graduation from college comes a triumph that is both hard-won and bittersweet.
About the Author
Mary E. Mebane (1933-1992) was a graduate of North Carolina College (now North Carolina Central University) and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she earned a Ph.D. in English. She taught at the University of South Carolina and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and was also a frequent contributor to the op-ed page of the New York Times.