#103385
Mentioned in 1 episodes
Ninety Degrees in the Shade
Book •
Clarence Kaysen's 'Ninety Degrees in the Shade' (published 1971) argues that the Southern climate affects social habits, work patterns, and cultural sensibilities, shaping a distinct regional character.
Kaysen links environmental conditions to attitudes toward leisure, storytelling, and social organization, suggesting climate helps form cultural differences between North and South.
The book sparked discussion about environmental determinism and the limits of climate-based explanations for complex social phenomena.
While influential in some circles, its thesis has been debated by historians who emphasize economic and political factors.
The work remains a referenced example of climate-focused interpretations of Southern distinctiveness.
Kaysen links environmental conditions to attitudes toward leisure, storytelling, and social organization, suggesting climate helps form cultural differences between North and South.
The book sparked discussion about environmental determinism and the limits of climate-based explanations for complex social phenomena.
While influential in some circles, its thesis has been debated by historians who emphasize economic and political factors.
The work remains a referenced example of climate-focused interpretations of Southern distinctiveness.
Mentioned by
Mentioned in 1 episodes
Mentioned by 
David Blight
Lecture 2 - Southern Society: Slavery, King Cotton, and Antebellum America's "Peculiar" Region
