This work represents an abridgement of Edward L. Ayers's "The Promise of the New South" which offered a history of the American South between the 1870s and the 1900s. This book shows a society suddenly confronted with the promises, costs and consequences of modern life.

"In its originality, its rich scholarship and sheer readability, Southern Crossing offers a fascinating overview of the South that should find much use in college classrooms and among more general readers."--Georgia Historical Quarterly "[T]his shorter version has a far more unified organization centered around the three themes of daily life, public life (largely politics), and cultural life. Additional reorganization improves the study's presentation...Ayers's eye for detail, which made his full-length work so attractive, is left intact."--Robert C. Kenzer, University of Richmond Praise for the first edition: "The most ambitious, comprehensive, and original survey of post-Reconstruction Southern history to appear since Woodward Origins....Ayers's book deepens and enriches our sense of diversity and complexity of southern life."--George M. Fredrickson, The New York Review of Books "An ambitious and challenging assessment of the years after Reconstruction."--Pete Daniel, The New York Times Book Review "It was time for someone to write a new synthesis....Edward Ayers has risen to the challenge admirably and produced this excellent book."--C. Vann Woodward, author of Origins of the New South "This is a book that will long be studied, debated, borrowed from, and imitated. It is a book that will make a significant difference."--David Brion Davis, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning The Problem of Slavery in Western Culture "Exciting....Here, at last, is a subtle, compelling view of the late nineteenth-century South whose scholarship is up-to-date....Bristles with unexpected insights."--The Washington Post Book World "This well-written, informative book should benefit readers who have a serious interest in this particular phase of American history."--John E. Boyd, KLIATT

"In its originality, its rich scholarship and sheer readability, Southern Crossing offers a fascinating overview of the South that should find much use in college classrooms and among more general readers."--Georgia Historical Quarterly "[T]his shorter version has a far more unified organization centered around the three themes of daily life, public life (largely politics), and cultural life. Additional reorganization improves the study's presentation...Ayers's eye for detail, which made his full-length work so attractive, is left intact."--Robert C. Kenzer, University of Richmond Praise for the first edition: "The most ambitious, comprehensive, and original survey of post-Reconstruction Southern history to appear since Woodward Origins....Ayers's book deepens and enriches our sense of diversity and complexity of southern life."--George M. Fredrickson, The New York Review of Books "An ambitious and challenging assessment of the years after Reconstruction."--Pete Daniel, The New York Times Book Review "It was time for someone to write a new synthesis....Edward Ayers has risen to the challenge admirably and produced this excellent book."--C. Vann Woodward, author of Origins of the New South "This is a book that will long be studied, debated, borrowed from, and imitated. It is a book that will make a significant difference."--David Brion Davis, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning The Problem of Slavery in Western Culture "Exciting....Here, at last, is a subtle, compelling view of the late nineteenth-century South whose scholarship is up-to-date....Bristles with unexpected insights."--The Washington Post Book World "This well-written, informative book should benefit readers who have a serious interest in this particular phase of American history."--John E. Boyd, KLIATT