Includes bibliographical references (pages 165-169) and index.

In this survey of British regional writing, Wade (English, U. of Huddersfield, UK) traces the invention of literary regional identity to the modern/postmodern view of regional attachment as an outmoded romantic concept. Writing that " ...'belonging' is arguably the most elusive weasel-word in the English vocabulary," and referring to Matthew Arnold's center/periphery distinction, the author notes parallels in popular culture and history in studying key writers linked with particular regions: e.g., the Bronte sisters as natives of 19th century Yorkshire; non native James Hanley's The Welsh Sonata (1954); and Liverpool "Mersey Sound" poets represented in Penguin modern poets 10 (1967). With regional fiction gracing recent bestseller lists, he concludes that regional literature remains alive and well in the UK. Annotation (c)2003 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com).

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