Writer Barry Hannah A native of Mississippi, HANNAH has been writing short stories and novels set in the South for over thirty years. His writing is described as intensely personal, frenetic and comic. Truman Capote once called him "the maddest writer in the USA" His first book, the autobiographical novel "Geronimo Rex" (published in 1972) won the William Faulkner Prize for writing. He followed that with "Airships" a collection of short stories now considered a classic. He continued to publish more short story collections and novels, though his 2001 novel "Yonder Stands Your Orphan," (Grove/Atlantic) now out in paperback, was his first in ten years. HANNAH teaches creative writing at the University of Mississippi

Writer Barry Hannah

June 21, 200212:00 AM ET

Heard on Fresh Air

Writer Barry Hannah

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A native of Mississippi, HANNAH has been writing short stories and novels set in the South for over thirty years. His writing is described as intensely personal, frenetic and comic. Truman Capote once called him "the maddest writer in the USA" His first book, the autobiographical novel "Geronimo Rex" (published in 1972) won the William Faulkner Prize for writing. He followed that with "Airships" a collection of short stories now considered a classic. He continued to publish more short story collections and novels, though his 2001 novel "Yonder Stands Your Orphan," (Grove/Atlantic) now out in paperback, was his first in ten years. HANNAH teaches creative writing at the University of Mississippi