“The Prince of Pulpsters” or “Debunker of Myths”: Frank Yerby Syllabus

When reading Frank Yerby’s work, I keep asking one question over and over again: “Why isn’t anyone teaching these texts?” I know that some scholars teach Yerby; however, compared to other authors, his appearance in the classroom is minuscule. I had heard the name, in passing, during my graduate work; however, I never saw him in any anthologies or read any of his books in any classes. I only found out about his voluminous production after I started purchasing copies of his books at local library book sales and used book stores. in 2011, Paine College, Frank Yerby’s alma mater, started a program where they had students read Yerby’s work, look at archival material, interview people who knew him, and present their work at a Yerby symposium. This serves as a start of what will hopefully be a Yerby revival. Today, I want to present a syllabus I have been thinking about that would focus on the life and work of Frank Garvin Yerby.

Course Description

Frank Yerby, throughout his career, published thirty-three novels, countless short stories, and poems. His debut novel, The Foxes of Harrow (1946), sold over 500,000 copies in its first two months of release, and a year later 20th Century Fox adapted the book for the big screen. Starring Rex Harrison and Maureen O’Hara, the film adaptation garnered praise and…