The Piedmont

Lee Smith
Southern novelist

"When anybody asks me, 'Why does North Carolina have so many writers?' this is what I tell them: 'Because so many of our writers teach.' I am proud to be a part of that tradition. And when NCSU's Humanities Extension Program sent me all around the state to teach writing in places where I'd never spent any time, such as Trenton and Goldsboro, I gained a new appreciation of how varied North Carolina is, and how many different kinds of stories North Carolinians have to tell."

Lee Smith has given a distinctive voice to Southern literature through the many characters populating her novels. She was inspired to write first by hearing and loving stories, often told on a comfortable porch by an aunt or uncle. Now she defines for us new ways to look at our history, laugh at ourselves and enjoy who we are.