Alias Bill Arp

From 1861 to 1903 humorist Charles Henry Smith, writing as Bill Arp, a sly Georgia back-woodsman, was the Souths most widely read newspaper columnist. Knowing the immense popularity of Smiths writings historian have suggested that southerners saw him as a voice for their concerns. While the idea that Bill Arp spoke for his region is sound, the intent of the writings has been misconstrued over time, argues David Parker. In Alias Bill Arp, Parker shows that Smith was not a contented observer of the post-Reconstruction New South as is widely inferred from his most widely read workhis syndicated weekly column in the Atlanta Constitution that he began writing in 1878. Considering the full range of Smiths work, Parker says, shows him to be one of the Souths harshest critics. After a brief survey of Smiths life, Parker surveys the Bull Arp writings, highlighting their major topics, and explaining what they meant to readers of that era.