Eudora Welty's works are treasures of American literature. When her first short-story collection was published in 1941, it heralded the arrival of a genuinely original writer who over the decades wrote hugely popular novels, novellas, essays, and a memoir, One Writer's Beginnings, that became a national bestseller. By the end of her life, Welty (who died in 2001) had been given nearly every literary award there was and was all but shrouded in admiration.

In this definitive and authoritative account, Suzanne Marrs restores Welty's story to human proportions, tracing Welty's life from her roots in Jackson, Mississippi, to her rise to international stature. Making generous use of Welty's correspondence-particularly with contemporaries and admirers, including Katherine Anne Porter, E. M. Forster, and Elizabeth Bowen-Marrs has provided a fitting and fascinating tribute to one of the finest writers of the twentieth century.

This rich, humanizing portrait goes beyond the public image to explore the woman behind the words:

A Definitive Account: Based on years of research and exclusive access to Eudora Welty’s personal correspondence, restoring the acclaimed author to human proportions.
Beyond the Public Myth: Discover the well-traveled, worldly, and passionate figure behind the myth of the shy, provincial Southern writer.
Literary Friendships: Delve into Welty’s private letters and relationships with literary giants like Katherine Anne Porter, E. M. Forster, and Elizabeth Bowen.
Mississippi Roots: Trace Welty’s journey from her childhood in Jackson, Mississippi, to her rise to international stature as a master of American literature.