The South We Know: Robert Busby on Boyhood, Masculinity, and the Politics of Place

In this episode, we sit down with Robert Busby, author of Bodock, his debut short story collection from Hub City Press. Set in a fictionalized version of his Mississippi hometown, Bodock explores the sharp edges of Southern identity—grappling with masculinity, family, faith, and the quiet violence of becoming.Busby talks with us about what it means to be a “Southern writer,” how growing up in a dry county shaped his sense of taboo and rebellion, and how religion and myth structure the emotional worlds of his characters. We talk Larry Brown and Brad Watson, rural trauma, class anxiety, and the generational patterns we pass down—intentionally or not.He also reads from “Fraternal Twins,” a standout story from Bodock that blends dark humor, biblical allusion, and moral reckoning in a scene both devastating and unforgettable.At the heart of this conversation is a quiet argument: that the South isn’t just a region—it’s a microcosm. And to understand its contradictions is to begin to understand something deeper about American identity.–––Bodock is out now from Hub City Press. We also included Bodock on our Southern Summer Reads List for 2025.💌 Support the podcast and Loblolly Press at loblollypress.substack.com.Episode Credits:🎤 Hosted by: Andrew Mack📖 Guest: Robert Busby🎧 Produced by: Loblolly Press🎶 Intro/Outro Music: Rooftop Sunsets by Alexey Anisimov via Tune Tank Get full access to Loblolly Press on Substack at loblollypress.substack.com/subscribe