Asa Earl Carter was a controversial and enigmatic figure. He is known for his links with the Ku Klux Klan. He later found solace in writing, however, critics as well as readers found it difficult to separate his success from his white supremacist history. This, while problematic, was quite inevitable due to his shady past.
A memoir style didactic novel by Asa Earl Carter (pseudonym- Forrest Carter), The Education of Little Tree was an experimental work that was published by Delacorte Press in 1976. Initially, it was viewed as a genuine attempt by the writer at infusing autobiographical elements in a novel, but it was later contested as a literary hoax. Due to the esoteric content that was covered in the book, it unfortunately didn't see much success. However, it was seen in a better light when it was re-published in 1991 and made it to the New York Times Best Seller list.
