Liberating Dixie

For 25 years Ed Williams was editor of the editorial pages at the Charlotte Observer, where his columns and editorials were part of projects that won the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service in 1981 and 1988. This collection from Williams' half-century of journalism is an exhilarating tour through life as seen by a provocative and insightful Southern writer. The characters range from Jesse Helms to Jim and Tammy Bakker to Walter Percy, with William Faulkner's watchcow and the dirty book man also making appearances. The topics provide a panorama of Southern life -- politics, religion, race, gay rights, artistic freedom, school reform, college sports, the joys and challenges of family life, as well as Ed Williams' rules for living.