Ahead of Her Time: The Trailblazing Life and Literary Legacy of Ann Head

A blue blood and a bohemian, author Ann Head was an essential voice of mid-century fiction, known for challenging societal norms and amplifying women’s struggles in an era that often silenced them. Now, for the first time, her mysterious personal life is unveiled through the lens of her eldest daughter, Nancy Thode. Through meticulous archival work and transcriptions of Head’s journals, Thode offers an intimate portrait of a writer whose life and fiction were deeply intertwined – one who influenced a generation of writers, including her student, the acclaimed Pat Conroy, who noted in his autobiography that “every time I sell a book, I put a rose on her grave.”

More than just a biography, this book is a celebration of Ann Head’s enduring legacy. Featuring a selection of her published stories, it invites readers to experience her boundary-pushing prose firsthand. It also includes never-before-seen letters from a young Pat Conroy, whose early poems and admiration for Head reveal her lasting impact on one of the South’s most celebrated literary voices. Perfect for longtime fans and new readers alike, this book is essential reading for anyone drawn to revolutionary women, literary history, and the inescapable connection between life and art.