Lee Smith (fiction author)

Lee Smith (born November 1, 1944) is an American fiction writer known for her novels and short stories that primarily explore the lives of women in the Appalachian region of the Southern United States. Her work often delves into themes of family, identity, class, and the complexities of Southern culture.

Born in Grundy, Virginia, Smith's upbringing in the Appalachian coalfields deeply influenced her writing. She attended Hollins College (now Hollins University), where she studied alongside writers such as Gail Godwin.

Smith has published numerous novels, including Oral History (1983), a multi-generational saga about an Appalachian family; Fair and Tender Ladies (1988), a coming-of-age story told through letters; The Devil's Dream (1990), which chronicles the history of country music through several generations; Saving Grace (1995), which tells the story of a young woman raised in a Pentecostal family; Guests on Earth (2013), which imagines the lives of Zelda Fitzgerald and other patients at Highland Hospital in Asheville, North Carolina; and Dimestore: A Writer's Life (2016), a memoir.

Her short story collections include Cakewalk (1981) and News of the Spirit (1997). Smith's writing is characterized by its lyrical prose, strong sense of place, and insightful portrayals of her characters.

Smith's work has garnered significant critical acclaim. She has received numerous awards, including the Robert Penn Warren Award for Fiction from the Fellowship of Southern Writers, the North Carolina Award for Literature, and an Academy Award in Literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters.