A Wreck on the Road to Damascus: Innocence, Guilt and Conversion in Flannery O'Connor

A ground-breaking study of Flannery O'Connor and her place in American culture, A Wreck on the Road to Damascus weaves together high art and popular culture in a way that makes literary criticism exciting. Drawing on a wide range of sources, Brian Abel Ragen shows not just the depth of O'Connor's religious vision, but also the ferocity of her attack on the literary tradition that at once denied original sin—her favorite doctrine—and shoved women to the margins of American culture. His work will change the way readers think about Flannery O'Connor, automobiles, original sin, and American culture.

Brian Abel Ragen is the author of many works, ranging from moving personal essays to scholarly works of criticism. He is the author of as study of Flannery O'Connor, and many articles on subjects ranging from heraldry to contemporary poetry. He is editor of the journal Papers on Language & Literature and serves as professor of English at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.