Lingering Inland: A Literary Tour of the Midwest

by Andy Oler (Editor), José Olivarez (Introduction)

How do the stories we tell about Midwestern places influence or reflect our experiences? How is the literature of a place or a region relevant to the people who live there? In this expansive anthology, Andy Oler collects 72 original short essays by a diverse array of contemporary writers. Each explores locales in Midwestern literature relevant to the life and work of literary figures and canonical authors such as Toni Morrison and Willa Cather. Lingering in these places in both body and mind, the contributors contemplate the resonances and desires nurtured by their chosen location. Together, the essays take readers on an odyssey that maps our inner longing to connect across vast landscapes. A singular collection of creative nonfiction, Lingering Inland plumbs the personal and collective essence that binds Midwesterners together through words and places.

Genres: Nonfiction

392 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 23, 2025

Reviews

[Book Club of One · Rating 4 out of 5]

Writers are shaped by the lives they've lead, but the places they've lived have their own influences. Lingering Inland: A Literary Tour of the Midwest gathers 72 short essays looking at both writers and places, centered on the Midwestern United States, but with a few connected diversions such as Mark Twain's years abroad.

Lingering Inland is very much a book about books, but as it gathers essays from a wide pool of contributors, the tone and focus frequently change exposing the reading to a range of writers and locations. Each entry features at least one photo of the location, a brief biography panel and an essay. The essays consider the place historically and contemporaneity. Some still exist with acknowledgement of their past others have faded with time and changing conditions of the nearby region. Many touch on the rust belt, environmental decline or change, the dispossession of indigenous peoples or the still existent racial disparities.

Some of the featured authors will not surprise (Willa Cather, Mark Twain, Louis L'Amour) but where the book excels is introducing or recovering lesser known or anonymized by time writers such as Zitkala-Sa or later life Sojourner Truth.

Recommended to readers of American literature, literary tourists or those focused on authorial intent.


I received a free digital version of this book via NetGalley thanks to the publisher.

[Jenna Goldsmith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is absolutely beautiful. It's a must-own for anybody into the Midwest with a coffee table.

[Astrid Galactic · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book that I should have gotten through in no time flat, but unfortunately, I really just could not get into this collection. Though I liked the concept and did find some of the reading rather interesting, it just dragged beyond belief. To me, this felt like I was reading someone's collection of index cards that had been prepared and worked up a little as they were preparing to write a full coffee table book. In fact, if there was a better assortment of photographs, this would make for an interesting coffee table book for those with an interest in both literature and the geography of the American Mid-West. As it was, too many of the photographs missed the mark and didn't reveal as much as one might want to see. Also, I believe that they should have also included a portrait of some sort of each of the authors being featured. Even if they have to resort to an illustration if no photos could have been sourced. Most importantly though, except if a few cases, I found the essays to be more like summaries for better photos. There was very little there that told the story of each individual author. In too many cases, they were more like captions for the photos. Just no meat to those bones.

What I did like is that it included a long list of many different authors who had made their home in the Mid-West. Many of whom were new to me. They seemed to focus on a lot of African American writers, which was fine, but I do think they should have either stuck to that theme or maybe arranged everyone differently. When an attempt was made to delve into the authors connection and love, or hate, of the Mid-West, the book started to come alive and share more of a common theme. As a whole, the book itself felt like there was a kernel of an idea that lost focus along the way. In many cases, the essays were so short that, again, I felt like I was reading someone's school notes for some sort of a graduate project that never really fully came into fruition. Of the few essays that I liked, I found that as soon as I became fully engaged, it was over. As soon as it got it's hooks into me, it was over as though the hooks were placed into an enjoyable scoop of ice cream as they all too quickly slid right back out again.

All in all, I really believe that this book could benefit from a total rewrite, and maybe even a change of focus. The collection of tidbits were just too skimpy to hold my attention when I wanted more to tease me along so that I would eventually find my way into pursuing the writings of many of these, I'm sure, fine writers. As is, sadly, too many of them were all too forgettable as very little was offered for most who were featured in this book.

Thanks for NetGalley for a copy of the eBook in lieu of a review.

[Diane Dachota · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book of essays on the Midwest as an influence on writers. There are 72 separate and short essays on writers associated with the Midwest, either through birth or from later living in the area. The authors also include photographs of birth places, graveyards and buildings where the artists worked. Many of the essays were about well know writers such as Mark Twain, Willa Cather and Toni Morrison; but a fair number of the essays were about lesser known writers, particularly those of Native American and African American ancestry.

The essays are short and are more about the places where the writers worked and lived then details about the author themselves. Each essay incudes some key works of the author for consideration and many of them provide quotes of the authors work and how they relate to the Midwest setting I found this to be a quick and very interesting read as I am also from the Midwest, The book gives enough information that a person could seek out these places many of which are dedicated as historical sites. there is a clear Midwest voice in the essays and the various author's Midwest influences are explained and demonstrated. I plan to buy a physical copy of the book when published. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this ARC for review.

[Kuu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

I expected more from this book, sadly. As a literary tour of the Midwest, I expected more literature, and I think a big part of my issue with this book is that all the essays are so SHORT. They're frequently not even 2 pages long, which makes it difficult for a reader not already familiar with the Midwest or the listed authors to really receive any kind of feeling at all, which is a pity as the authors do build on a feeling, on their emotional connection with the area, quite a lot.

I do appreciate the diversity of the chosen authors and contributors, though, giving a wide range of Midwestern voices the room to speak on their experiences with the Midwest and Midwestern literature.

3.5 stars

[Erin Wyman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am thankful to the publisher and Net Galley to explore this title. It is parallaxis (thanks Tara L Conley) in structure, where each essay is about a place, an author and their work and then the essayist themselves. I was introduced to work I have never, and probably would not have learned about. And it has expanded my reading universe, and it a beautiful tribute to the people and places. Very respectful.