Louise Edge

The Code of the South: and Other Stories Louise Edge

The stories in The Code of the South range from humorous and playful to poignant and serious. Many of them are Southern. But there are no large hairy people named Bubba running around. Instead readers will meet people they might enjoy talking to at a party, people who will delight and surprise. Here are some of the men, women and children in the stories: An eleven-year-old Southern boy protects the honor of his mother. A widower who honored his wifes request to be buried in her fur coat finds his grief interrupted by unexpected revelations. A young woman recounts the year her father was in Vietnam and the heartbreaking effects the war had on her life. A man with a litany of complaints about his mother-in-law discovers she has the last word. A young Air Force wife joins her husband in Germany and finds out he is chasing women all over Europe. In these and ten other stories, the author deftly captures universal struggles: the coming-of-age problems of the young, the complications of love and marriage, the quest to stay vigorous in old age. The stories are offered in language that is precise and accessible.