The Crying of the Blood is a collection of short stories with the two characters Mariah and Mary, born one hundred years apart, who deal with the challenges of life dealt them. Through descriptive language and the strong presence of place and setting, the author explores the under-girding strength of human nature in dealing with the external and internal pressures of the various forms of war and its aftermath. By examining the effects of the human condition through inherited and acquired traits passed to succeeding descendents of the characters, the author exposes the foibles of human nature. People live a specific way and repeat patterns of thinking and choosing without knowing why or stopping to consider the ensuing results of their actions. The collection of stories reveals the dark shadows of the Civil War that continue to shape the Southern culture and also the enduring strength and charm of the people and their traditions.This collection of stories is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either a figment of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Resemblances to actual people, settings, and events are purely coincidental. / Department of English