A History of the African-American People (Proposed) by Strom Thurmond

＂[A]n outrageously funny satire of race relations and racism, US history, contemporary sexual mores and behavior, academia, and the publishing industry . . . It could become a cult-classic . . . Highly recommended.＂ --Library Journal

Everett and Kincaid present a fictitious chronicle of South Carolina Senator Strom Thurmond’s desire to pen a history of African Americans--his and his aides’ belief being that he has done as much, or more, than any American to shape that history. An epistolary novel, A History follows the letters of loose-cannon congressional office workers, insane interns at a large New York publishing house, and disturbed publishing executives, along with homicidal rival editors, kindly family friends, and an aspiring author named Septic. Strom Thurmond appears charming and open, mad and sure of his place in American history.

Percival Everett is the author of fifteen works of fiction, among them GLYPH, WATERSHED, GOD’S COUNTRY and FRENZY. His most recent novel ERASURE won the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award and did little to earn him friends. James Kincaid is Aerol Arnold Professor of English at the University of Southern California and has written seven scholarly books in literary studies, literary theory, and cultural studies. Kincaid has gradually lost his moorings in the academic world, so there is nothing left for him to do but adopt the guise of fiction writer. Writing about madness comes easy to him.