# Books on Appalachia?



## Kstornado11 (Mar 17, 2006)

Anyone have any reccomendations of good books on Appalachia,either historic or contemporary fiction/biographies? I just read She Walks These Hills by Sharyn McCrumb and it got me interested in searching for more books set in Appalacia. Waiting on Songcatcher by the same author at the library. Watched the movie a few years back.


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## Tracy Rimmer (May 9, 2002)

While not fiction, the Foxfire series takes life stories and experiences of homesteaders and pioneers from, I believe, Appalachia.


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## marvella (Oct 12, 2003)

all of sharon mc crumbs books are about appalachia.

i loved 13 moons, by charles frazier who also wrote cold mountain, both about this area.

another local favorite of mine is wilma dykeman stokely, who lived in my hometown. she wrote the tall woman, which is a classic, as well as a respected book about the french broad river.

appalachian writers are favorites, espcially if they write about my stomping grounds. wish i could remember more off the top of my head.


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## hillsidedigger (Sep 19, 2006)

The Foxfire series was initially were authored by an instructor with the help of his students at a junior college, The Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School, formerly also a boarding high school, located only about 1/2 of a mile into Rabun County, Georgia just South of Macon County, NC. My father, whose family lived right across the creek from the school, attended high school and junior college there back between about 1929 and 1935.

Yes, that area was formerly Appalachia but is now overrun with Floridians and Half-backs.

The TV show 'The Hillbillies' recently aired on the History or some similar Channel and hosted by Billy Ray Cyrus in just a couple of hours offered centuries of info about Appalachia, a lot that I wasn't even aware of.

The book 'Winter People' by John Ehle who I met on several occasions (doing a job at his place) which was made into a movie starring Kurt Russell is very telling of how it was in these parts years ago.


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## Charleen (May 12, 2002)

Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver. http://www.kingsolver.com/bookshelf/prodigal_summer.asp


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## Kstornado11 (Mar 17, 2006)

Thanks everyone! Heading to my library's website to check the card catalog & then to Worldcat to request those they don't have!! :dance:


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## ELOCN (Jun 13, 2004)

Have you read "Rocket Boys" by Homer H. Hickam, Jr.? I haven't read it, but my friend has. It's a memoir of a boy growing up in a company town in West Virginia. After the Russians launched Sputnik, this boy and a group of his friends began a "rocket club." This teenagers got their last rockets up over 30,000 feet. My friend said it was an extremely enjoyable book. The author eventually got a job at NASA as an engineer.

My friend has the softcover edition and it has several photographs in it of the boy, his family, his friends, their favorite teacher, relatives, their church, etc. My friend says the book has a lot more to do with life in a small town than it has to do with rocketry. He says if you start reading it, you won't be able to put it down.


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## ELOCN (Jun 13, 2004)

Also, have you read "Growing Up" by Russell Baker? I read it and loved it. It's also a memoir. It tells the true story of Russell Baker growing up in North Carolina, I believe, with his widowed mother. Russell always excelled in school and wanted to be a writer. His mother eventually remarried a nice man who worked for the railroad, and his job required that he have a telephone in the home, so that's when Russell finally got a telephone in his house. But he was very resentful of his stepfather (even though the man was very nice). Russell discovered girls, of course, and started dating Mimi, even though his mother disapproved of the girl. I really enjoyed reading this book several years ago and it was also read on the radio. I recommended it to others -- my friend read it and got his mother and father to read it also. Russell Baker eventually went to work writing for the New York Times newspaper.


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## Kstornado11 (Mar 17, 2006)

ELOCN said:


> Have you read "Rocket Boys" by Homer H. Hickam, Jr.? I haven't read it, but my friend has. It's a memoir of a boy growing up in a company town in West Virginia. After the Russians launched Sputnik, this boy and a group of his friends began a "rocket club." This teenagers got their last rockets up over 30,000 feet. My friend said it was an extremely enjoyable book. The author eventually got a job at NASA as an engineer.
> 
> My friend has the softcover edition and it has several photographs in it of the boy, his family, his friends, their favorite teacher, relatives, their church, etc. My friend says the book has a lot more to do with life in a small town than it has to do with rocketry. He says if you start reading it, you won't be able to put it down.


I wonder if that's the one that was made into a movie called "October Sky" ? I came across that tonight searching for books/movies on Appalachia. Will have to add that one & the others to my list!!


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## blufford (Nov 23, 2004)

Even though its from the 1960s its a story thats still revelant as that not a whole lot has changed in some areas.


http://www.amazon.com/Stinking-Creek-John-Fetterman/dp/0525209980


Here is a link to a great review of the book.
http://kentuckyhighlands.net/books/book-reviews/stinking-creek.html


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## TnMtngirl (Jun 30, 2002)

Yesterdays People, Life in Contemporary Appalachia by Jack Weller,UT of Kentucky press.Its an older social sciences book,good reading.I did have this book but traded it out on paperbackswap.com


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## Pigeon Lady (Apr 4, 2004)

Our neighbor has written a real nice book about his life here in the Blue ridge Mountains. It's available through Amazon and other book stores. 

Here's a link to his blog:

http://www.fragmentsfromfloyd.com/

Scroll down and you'll see info about his book ( now in it's second printing I believe) in the left hand margin.

The title is Slow Road Home by Fred First.

Pauline


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## marvella (Oct 12, 2003)

oh yeah, anything by john rice irwin- he founded the museum of appalachia in norris, tn.


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## ELOCN (Jun 13, 2004)

Kstornado, the cover of Rocket Boys says "The #1 New York Times Bestselling Memoir that Inspired the Film October Sky." I haven't seen October Sky, nor did I know this book had been made into a movie.


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## ELOCN (Jun 13, 2004)

Have you ever read "Look Homeward, Angel" by Thomas Wolfe? That was one of my very favorite books! It's fiction but is based largely on his life in Asheville and Chapel Hill, North Carolina, up until the time he graduated from the University of North Carolina. In fact, it's so true-to-life that when the book was published, the people in Asheville were scandalized because they recognized themselves and their neighbors. Wolfe was born in 1900. After he graduated from the University of North Carolina, he did graduate work at Harvard University.


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## swamp_deb (Jan 9, 2004)

It's because of this thread that I have 14 books by Sharyn McCrumb coming to me from ebay. I haven't read much lately but love to vacation in the mountains, that's been our vacation destination for the last 17 years.


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## Charleen (May 12, 2002)

swamp_deb said:


> It's because of this thread that I have 14 books by Sharyn McCrumb coming to me from ebay. I haven't read much lately but love to vacation in the mountains, that's been our vacation destination for the last 17 years.


Goodness, swampdeb, they have these big buildings called libraries where you can borrow the books for free.  But, now, since you're buying them on ebay, they are yours forever & ever. Enjoy!


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## ELOCN (Jun 13, 2004)

Charleen, you're a woman after my own heart. I paid for all those books in the library from my taxes, and I consider them mine . . . well, at least for a time! The books I own are only those I read or look at over and over again: the Bible, an anthology of poetry, a couple of art books, a dictionary and the Harry Potter books. I don't even own Jane Austen's books. I just keep checking them out of the library!!!!


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## connie in WV (May 13, 2002)

The Last Sin Eater by Francine Rivers

The Coffin Quilt by Ann Rinaldi

Follow the River by James Alexander Thom


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## Turkeyfether (Dec 10, 2004)

"Christie" ~ I am AMAZED noone pointed THAT ONE out!!


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## ELOCN (Jun 13, 2004)

Connie, I read Follow the River, too! I am a descendant of the woman who was kidnapped.


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## deaconjim (Oct 31, 2005)

I haven't given it a title yet, but I'll let you know when I'm finished writing it.


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## hillsidedigger (Sep 19, 2006)

I have heard of a book which I think is called (I've never found a copy of it):

'The Land That Nobody Wanted' 

which is not fiction but rather discusses the establishment of the national forests in the Southern Appalachians.


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## connie in WV (May 13, 2002)

ELOCN said:


> Connie, I read Follow the River, too! I am a descendant of the woman who was kidnapped.


Whenever we are at the New River Gorge, just a few minutes up the road, I marvel at the incredible journey Mary made and what a wimp I am!

You come from tough stock!


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## ELOCN (Jun 13, 2004)

I think about how tough Mary was, too. On my last trip to West Virginia (several years ago), I was driving at night and decided to turn off the headlights just to see HOW DARK IT REALLY WAS! Well, it was DARK! At least I had a car and a full tank of gasoline; poor Mary had a crazy old Dutchwoman trying to kill her, and Indians after her also.


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## Kstornado11 (Mar 17, 2006)

I am at the library,looking for books,just had to get online & find this thread !! Off to the shelves I go....thanks!


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## linn (Jul 19, 2005)

Kstornado11 said:


> Anyone have any reccomendations of good books on Appalachia,either historic or contemporary fiction/biographies? I just read She Walks These Hills by Sharyn McCrumb and it got me interested in searching for more books set in Appalacia. Waiting on Songcatcher by the same author at the library. Watched the movie a few years back.


She Walks These Hills by Sharyn McCrumb is a great read. Songcatcher is one of my favorite movies. I love the ballads.


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## Louisiana Mom (Oct 15, 2004)

I have one I am reading right now. It is a Foxfire book. 
The Foxfire Book of Appalachian Cookery  it has lots of recipes & pictures about cooking & living in Appalachia. I would highly recommend it.


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## jedsmom (Aug 15, 2007)

Sorry I am late to this thread...but I have to pipe up for "Our Southern Highlanders" by Horace Kephart-- he wrote it in the early 1900's after coming to the mountains and observing the people here. It's fascinating!

Also, Sheila Kay Adams is a 7th generation storyteller from Madison Co. NC and she has written a wonderful ballad of her own creation called "My Old True Love" in addition to a collection of her stories called "Come Go Home with Me."

And finally, Fred Chappell a professor from UNC Chapel Hill has written a ballad called "Farewell I'm Bound to Leave You." (disclaimer: heart wrencher!)

I am so glad I read this thread --- I am going to go and get some of these ASAP!


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## hillsidedigger (Sep 19, 2006)

I just thought of:

John Parris did numerous books and writings on the subject of Appalachia.


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## swamp_deb (Jan 9, 2004)

Charleen said:


> Goodness, swampdeb, they have these big buildings called libraries where you can borrow the books for free.  But, now, since you're buying them on ebay, they are yours forever & ever. Enjoy!



I have to drive to get to the library, these were delivered by the postman.  This way I can read them at my own pace without having to worry if it is available when I have the time to read. I don't read as much as I used to so these should last a good while. It's been a month and I've only read one so far.
After I read them, I'll pass them along to our daughter to read, a good book is never wasted around here.


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## WanderingOak (Jul 12, 2004)

The Dollmaker by Harriette Arnow.


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## Rich Taber (Oct 22, 2006)

A book that was written in the early 1900's but is now available in reprint form is "Our Southern Highlanders" by Horace Kephart, who was also well known for his fine work "Camping and Woodcraft". "Highlanders" describes mountain life in the much the same way as did the Foxfire books.


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## windwa (Apr 24, 2005)

There was an author named Jesse Stuart, who not only wrote 1930-50's fiction (Andy Griffith got his start in one of the books that was turned into a movie) but also a facinating autobiograghy, The Thread that Runs So True.


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## the fishkiller (Sep 26, 2007)

I just purchased but have not read "Born Fighting, how the Scots-Irish shaped America. I saw the author on a history channel special that was hosted by Billy Ray Cyrus about Hillbillies.


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## Charleen (May 12, 2002)

swamp_deb said:


> I have to drive to get to the library, these were delivered by the postman.  This way I can read them at my own pace without having to worry if it is available when I have the time to read. I don't read as much as I used to so these should last a good while. It's been a month and I've only read one so far.
> After I read them, I'll pass them along to our daughter to read, a good book is never wasted around here.



It seems that the only 2 things I spend time doing are reading and making soap! I'm sure you can understand, swamp_deb


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## Kstornado11 (Mar 17, 2006)

ELOCN said:


> Connie, I read Follow the River, too! I am a descendant of the woman who was kidnapped.


I am reading this now--- this is a true story??


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## ELOCN (Jun 13, 2004)

Yes, "Follow the River" is a novel that is based on a real incident. Mary Ingles, a young, white, married woman, was kidnapped from her home by Indians. I think it was in 1755. She was pregnant at the time. The Indians took her hundreds of miles away. She eventually escaped with an old Dutch woman whom the Indians had also kidnapped. Mary Ingles made her way back to her home and her husband. 

I read a non-fiction book about the kidnapping. It was called "Trans-Allegheny Pioneers" by Dr. John Hale. He was also a descendant of Mary Ingles.


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## Kstornado11 (Mar 17, 2006)

ELOCN said:


> Yes, "Follow the River" is a novel that is based on a real incident. Mary Ingles, a young, white, married woman, was kidnapped from her home by Indians. I think it was in 1755. She was pregnant at the time. The Indians took her hundreds of miles away. She eventually escaped with an old Dutch woman whom the Indians had also kidnapped. Mary Ingles made her way back to her home and her husband.
> 
> I read a non-fiction book about the kidnapping. It was called "Trans-Allegheny Pioneers" by Dr. John Hale. He was also a descendant of Mary Ingles.


Loved the book! Read it straight thru,start to finish,was hard to put down! Just got back from the library,picked up another by the same author,also a true story! The Red Heart -- about Quakers in the Susquehanna Vally of NE Pennsylvania. Young girl named Francis becomes Little Bear Woman of the Miami Indians.


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## rabbitsbus (Mar 3, 2007)

It was published almost ten years ago and I can't remember the author, maybe Cunningham? Anyway "On Bended Knee" is wonderful for a real look at the "tobacco wars" that took place in Kentucky. I highly recommend it.


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