Dr. Leslie Petty, professor of English and the T.K. Young Chair of English Literature, has co-edited, along with Dr. Nancy Dixon of Dillard University, a volume of essays on New Orleans literary history. The book is titled Voices and Visions (University Press of Mississippi).
According to the publisher: “Voices and Visions: Essays on New Orleans's Literary History examines a rich combination of writers and texts, from antebellum works like Martin R. Delany’s novel, Blake, and the poetry of Les Cenelles to Patricia Smith’s recent collection of poems, Blood Dazzler. The thirteen essays in Voices and Visions treat two hundred years of literature and include discussions on canonical, contemporary, and experimental writers.”
At Rhodes, Petty teaches courses in 19th and 20th-century American literature and gender and sexuality studies. Her work has appeared in journals such as Studies in the American Short Story and Legacy. She also serves as executive coordinator for the American Literature Association.