Dictionary of Literary Biography: Volume Nine “Though not great literary art, Stribling’s trilogy is, nevertheless, historically significant for in The Forge, The Store, and Unfinished Cathedral, Stribling introduced a subject matter, themes, plot elements, and character types which parallel and at the same time anticipate those that William Faulkner, who owned copies of this trilogy, would treat in Absalom, Absalom! and in the Snopes trilogy.” James J. While Stribling’s name has faded from the headlines and is now a pretty obscure author, I found this quote (from Wikipedia) which addresses Stribling’s legacy: I wonder if reading this book when it was published in the 1930s was a very different experience than reading it in now, in the 2020s. And yet, others may defend this as an accurate depiction of the 1880s. Some readers may find the book hard to swallow due to interactions like that, or the constant racial slurs and racist remarks throughout the book. He knows that the Black woman that he repeatedly rapes and abuses does not love him, and yet, even though he knows she is powerless to deny him, he turns to her for affection and to confide in her. My Thoughts: One thing that struck me about the book was how aware Vaiden was of the power dynamics between Black and white people. Stribling was the first Tennesseean to win a Pulitzer Prize (although Alabama also likes to take credit for him). The novel is ambitious and covers many hallmarks of Southern life in the 1880s – property disputes, “ passing“, the Klan, and an underlying current of racially charged condescension and power dynamics prevail.įun Fact: T.S. Post Civil War, Vaiden finds himself trying to “find his way” as he loses his job as an overseer of a plantation.

In full disclosure, I finished this book years ago, but have taken a little break from writing here (didja miss me?)Ī Brief Summary: The Store follows Miltiades Vaiden as he reckons with a changing racial and economic landscape. I originally thought I’d try to read the first book too, but I had enough trouble getting on my hands on a copy of this book, that I gave up hope trying to find two Stribling novels! I ultimately was able to borrow a copy of this book from the University of Alabama library, thanks to my dad’s academic credentials there.

The store by ts stribling