Book Club
It’s Not My Mountain Anymore Review
Barbara Taylor Woodall, a distinguished writer and Appalachian native, tells the gripping — and sometimes humorous — story of her life growing up in the heart of the Georgia Appalachians in “It’s Not My Mountain Anymore.” Woodall was born in 1954 and raised in a family that maintained a very traditional Appalachian farm life. From…
Read MoreA PREVENTABLE TRAGEDY- No. 9: The 1968 Farmington Mine Disaster
By Jeff Deal Ninety-nine Americans were working in the No. 9 coal mine just north of Farmington, W.Va., on the morning of Nov. 20, 1968 — but only 21 would return safely to loved ones and the light of day. And of the 78 individuals that died from the coal mine explosion, or by suffocation…
Read MoreOld Folktales Die Hard
By Brian Sewell “Murdered in May of 1865,” a white gravestone on the banks of the Yadkin River in Wilkes County, N.C., reads. “Tom Dula hanged for crime.” The grave belongs to Laura Foster, the victim in one of the most popularized and retold murder cases in Appalachian folk history. Like a game of cultural…
Read MoreWriting the Ballad Novels: Sharyn McCrumb In Her Own Words
My father’s family settled the North Carolina mountains in the 1790s, and I grew up in a swirl of tales: mountain legends, ballads and scraps of Appalachian history. My first ancestor to settle in these mountains was Malcolm McCourry, chronicled in my novel The Songcatcher. As a child in 1751 he was kidnapped from a…
Read MoreCider Beans, Wild Greens and Dandelion Jelly
By Molly Moore After several decades living and eating in the hills of east Tennessee, California native Joan E. Aller proves her love for southern Appalachian cuisine in Cider Beans, Wild Greens and Dandelion Jelly. This is a serious cookbook, and Aller has her priorities straight. In it, food is given the respect true cooking…
Read MoreYour Reading Guide to Living Off the Land
By Meg Holden Do you daydream about living in the forest, hunting and gathering to eat? Would you find peace on a farm, raising chickens and corn? Does your imagination thrive in a back yard garden? Live vicariously through these books, or use them as stepping stones to a new life of sustainability. Some of…
Read MoreArctic Gardens: Voices from An Abundant Land
Arctic Gardens: Voices from an Abundant Land Review by Jeff Deal Few places on Earth have galvanized the hearts and minds of those seeking to safeguard and strengthen Earth’s precious cultural heritage and natural wonders like the Arctic. Dr. Harvard Ayers, Landon Pennington and David Harmon’s book, “Arctic Gardens: Voices from an Abundant Land,” is…
Read MoreTop Ten Books on Climate Change
Top Ten Books on Climate Change By Kaley Bellanti Climate change has become one of the most controversial and widely disputed topics facing today’s citizen, often dominating political and economic discussions. Below is a list of some of the most recognized books on climate change, ready to equip you with the knowledge to tackle the…
Read MoreLast Child in the Woods: Nature Nurtures Creativity
Review by Jillian Randel Increased outdoor playtime translates to higher levels of creativity, better critical thinking skills and a greater sense of confidence for today’s children, Richard Louv poses in his book, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder. According to Louv, children have lost their connection to the earth. Direct…
Read MoreWe Had Some Crazy Times Together…
Review by Jed Grubbs Superfreakonomics is like that outrageous friend of yours from college. Initially, all the scandalous things he says and does are highly entertaining and engrossing. Time goes on, though, and you begin to wonder what this guy won’t do for attention. You start to feel it’d be nice to wake up without…
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