Paul Theroux documents four seasonal trips through the back roads of "the lower 20"with a collection of interviews. He provides a window into the lives of unique characters from black spiritual and community leaders (Virgin Johnson and Eugene Lyles), to fellow writers (Randall Curb and Mary Ward), to the valiant Delores Walker Robinson, to the energetic social worker/agitator Pam Dorr, to the Indian/Patel hotel operators and the Iranian entrepreneur. He also provides history and insight on Bill Clinton, John Lewis, Strom Thurmond and William Faulkner. Theroux even seems to imitate Faulkner by getting wording and verbose in his writing, particularly in the interlude sections.
Overall, the book is a pretty depressing and sad depiction of the southern American backcountry. Segregation is alive and well. There are too many very large poor families with no mention of family planning. The people are often unhealthy, everything is deep fried, the fields are underutilized, too many are obsessed with guns, and there are very few jobs. Outside help is often shunned and white people still have priority over people of color.
In this grim environment only a few are able to shine. In searching for a cause the writer does a lot of bashing of the establishment from foreign aid, Clinton, and outside agitators. Yet most of the problems in the south originate from it being stuck in the past. I came away from reading the book thinking the southerners need to stop glorifying the Civil War, stop with the segregation, forget the belief in white supremacy, get rid of the Klan, disarm yourselves, stop being takers, and get to work.
