Southern Comforts: The Myths and Realities of Drinking in the US South
The collection of essays focuses on the mythologies and representations of alcohol production, distribution, and consumption (or rejection) in the literature and culture of the US South.
When you think of the American South, what comes to mind? Moonshiners in the hills, perhaps, or temperance laws in small towns? In this episode, Carrie Tippen sits down with Conor Picken and Matthew Dischinger to discuss their book 'Southern Comforts: Drinking and the US South'. This collection of seventeen essays dives deep into the stereotypes and realities of alcohol in Southern culture. Picken and Dischinger argue that the South's relationship with alcohol is often exaggerated in popular imagination.
From dry counties to hard-drinking authors, the region's drinking culture is a mix of contradictions. The authors explore how these conflicting images are portrayed in literature, history, and pop culture. They also challenge the idea that drinking together always brings people closer, pointing out how it can hide deep-seated inequalities of race, class, and gender. Whether it's female blues singers or Mardi Gras cocktails, each essay offers a fresh perspective on Southern drinking culture.
If you're curious about how alcohol shapes Southern identity and want to debunk some myths along the way, this episode is for you.