🎯 Where Should I Start?
ⓘ About Lee Smith
Lee Smith is an American author of fiction in the Southern Gothic genre. She was born November 1, 1944, in Grundy, Virginia. She grew up in the mountains of the Appalachians in southwestern Virginia, a frequent setting for many of her novels that feature characters that live in the southern states or parts of the Appalachian mountains. When she was nine years old, she was already writing and selling stories for a nickel each. The stories would be about her neighbors in her hometown and the nearby “hollers”. She has published several novels since 1968 and has also released three collections of her short stories and won several awards for writing. She has a sense of place that reveals empathy and insight into the Appalachian culture and people.
All Book Series by Lee Smith
Mrs. Darcy and the Blue-Eyed Stranger
Latest in the series · book 4 of 4 · published 2010
New Stories from the South
Series opener · book 1 of 20 · published 1988 Anthology · Shannon Ravenel
New Stories from the South 1992
Book 2 of 20 · published 1992 Anthology · Shannon Ravenel
New Stories from the South 1993
Book 3 of 20 · published 1993 Anthology · Shannon Ravenel
New Stories from the South 1994
Book 4 of 20 · published 1994 Anthology · Shannon Ravenel
New Stories from the South 1995
Book 5 of 20 · published 1995 Anthology · Shannon Ravenel
New Stories from the South 1996
Book 6 of 20 · published 1996 Anthology · Shannon Ravenel
New Stories from the South 1997
Book 7 of 20 · published 1997 Anthology · Robert Olen Butler
New Stories from the South 1998
Book 8 of 20 · published 1998 Anthology · Padgett Powell
New Stories from the South 1999
Book 9 of 20 · published 1999 Anthology · Tony Earley
New Stories from the South 2000
Book 10 of 20 · published 2000 Anthology · Ellen Douglas
New Stories from the South 2003
Book 12 of 20 · published 2003 Anthology · Shannon Ravenel
New Stories from the South 2004
Book 13 of 20 · published 2004 Anthology · Allan Gurganus
New Stories from the South, 2005
Book 14 of 20 · published 2005 Anthology · Jill McCorkle
Best of the South: From the Second Decade of New Stories from the South
Book 15 of 20 · published 2005 Anthology · Shannon Ravenel
New Stories from the South 2006
Book 16 of 20 · published 2006 Anthology · Allan Gurganus,Kathy Pories
New Stories from the South 2007
Book 17 of 20 · published 2007 Anthology · Allan Gurganus
New Stories from the South 2008
Book 18 of 20 · published 2008 Anthology · Z.Z. Packer
New Stories from the South 2009
Book 19 of 20 · published 2009 Anthology · Madison Smartt Bell
New Stories from the South 2010
Latest in the series · book 20 of 20 · published 2010 Anthology · Amy Hempel
Eudora Welty: Writers' Reflections Upon First Reading Welty
Book 4 of 7 · published 1999
The Scribner Anthology of Contemporary Short Fiction
Book 5 of 7 · published 1999
A Very Southern Christmas: Holiday Stories from the South's Best Writers
Book 6 of 7 · published 2003
? Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Lee Smith?
Lee Smith is an American author of fiction in the Southern Gothic genre. She was born November 1, 1944, in Grundy, Virginia. She grew up in the mountains of the Appalachians in southwestern Virginia, a frequent setting for many of her novels that feature characters that live in the southern states or parts of the Appalachian mountains.
Which Lee Smith series should I start with?
The best place to start is the New Stories From The South series, the earliest of Lee Smith's multi-book series: it opens with New Stories from the South (1988) and runs to 20 books across 1988–2010, ending with New Stories from the South 2010 (2010).
How many books has Lee Smith written?
Lee Smith has 47 books catalogued in this guide, published between 1969 and 2023. 20 of them belong to 1 named series — the largest being the New Stories From The South series with 20 books — and 27 are standalone titles, collections or anthologies.
In what order should Lee Smith's series be read?
Read each series in publication order — the numbered entries in each series follow the year each book first appeared. Lee Smith's series do not depend on one another, so they can be started in any order; by start date they are New Stories From The South (1988–2010, 20 books).
How are Lee Smith's books organised into series?
This guide splits Lee Smith's 47 books into 1 named series and 27 titles that stand alone or appear only in collections: New Stories From The South (20 books, 1988–2010).