Memphis and the Paradox of Place

“Rushing has written a book that is deliberately (relatively) free of social-science jargon. . . . [Uses] a narrative, case-study approach to describe a city as complex and rich as Memphis.” — Memphis Magazine

“Crisp prose and scintillating historical references. . . . Rushing’s nuanced investigation has real-world implications for Memphis’s future.” — Chapter 16

“Written in an accessible style and will be tempting to Memphis history buffs, or anyone interested in knowing more about Southern cities. . . . A fascinating overview.” — Southern Register

“Rushing astutely identifies Memphis’s ability to maintain its unique identity while being shaped by and operating within an increasingly global economic, political, and cultural world.” — Journal of American History

“[Rushing] weaves her analysis into stories about the history and global impact of blues music, the social and racial complexities of Cotton Carnival, and the global rise of FedEx, headquartered in the city.” — Abstracts of Public Administration, Development, and Environment

“[An] impressive study. . . . A welcome and programmatic work that deserves wide attention from urban sociologists, taking a big step towards redressing the woeful scholarly neglect of the Southern city in the era of globalization.” — Contemporary Sociology

“Rushing is at her best through historical storytelling. . . . [Her] book is a worthy and important addition to a growing body of geographical scholarship that focuses on these forces of globalization.” — Historical Geography

“Memphis and the Paradox of Place is at once an important contribution to the burgeoning literature on cities and globalization and a terrifically insightful interpretation of the River City’s history. In this fine work, Wanda Rushing opens up Memphis to the world.” — Peter A. Coclanis, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

“Memphis and the Paradox of Place is beautifully written and elegantly theorized. It powerfully illustrates how the concept of place can be used to tell the history of a special southern city and how, in particular, that city is able to maintain its singular identity in the face of the gale force winds of globalization.” — Anthony Orum, University of Illinois at Chicago