Cataloochee

by Wayne Caldwell

Book Overview

"A brilliant portrait of a community and a way of life long gone, a lost America."
-Charles Frazier

Against the breathtaking backdrop of Appalachia comes a rich, multilayered post--Civil War saga of three generations of families-their dreams, their downfalls, and their faith. Cataloochee is a slice of southern Americana told in the classic tradition of Flannery O'Connor and William Faulkner.

Nestled in the mountains of North...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0812973739
• ISBN13: 9780812973730
• Release Date: June 2008
• Publisher: Random House Trade
• Length: 368 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.2" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

If you love the mountains

I'm North Carolina born and bred so that may speak to why I loved Cataloochie so much. This writer has an interesting story to tell and keeps you reading until you are unable to cook, clean or put that book down. I loved it!

the story's the thing

Compared to many other modern novels, Wayne Caldwell's CATALOOCHEE seems old-fashioned in its reliance on storytelling to drive the narrative forward -- old-fashioned, yes, but also refreshing, like a cool gourd of water after a hard day in the apple orchard. Even characters, though they're interestingly, if not fully, developed, take a back seat to the story in this novel, which follows a small community in Appalachian North Carolina over the course of sixty years as they contend with each other and a rapidly changing outside world that is encroaching on their land and way of life. Caldwell focuses primarily on Ezra Banks, his immediate family, and in-laws, but giving the book a panoramic, intergenerational, almost epic quality, he also intertwines the stories of other folks, most of whom are related in some way or another. The farther Caldwell gets from Banks, however, the more confusing the story becomes as one struggles to keep track of who everyone is and what is happening to them. This is off-putting until one realizes that we, as readers, are outsiders hearing this story, looking into these mountain valleys, attempting to understand the people who inhabit them. That Caldwell pulls this off -- making readers feel like outsiders even as he pulls them into this world -- is a stroke of genius. It's reminiscent, in a way, of the hospitality a stranger might experience on passing through Cataloochee and being invited to have supper, drink some home-brewed whiskey, and hear a few yarns with Will Carter. Accenting the book's compelling narrative structure, Caldwell's prose captures the rhythms of life and death in Appalachia, evoking the sights, sounds, and smells of Cataloochee, the close-knit sense of community, the life-goes-on mentality. Caldwell manages to accomplish this in an understated manner, without ostentation or embellishment, that is well suited to his subject. He also displays a subtle sense of humor: I won't spoil it, but see page 190 for a winking reference to Flannery O'Connor. All in all, CATALOOCHEE is as fine a story as you're like to here this year or any year.

Wonderful Book!

Most of the books I read are mysteries with a fast paced, linear style. "Cataloochee" is not that type of book. Set in the mountains of North Carolina following the Civil War, it follows the style of an Appalachian tale - slow paced and not in the least linear. As one of the characters would say, "pull up a chair and set awhile." In accepting that invitation you enter a world of complex characters and interwoven lives. You are rewarded with characters who you feel like you really know and care about. By the end of the book you don't want it to end - you want to continue knowing how your new friends' lives continue to unfold. You gain a real feel for time and place. My next vacation will be to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to explore Cataloochee Valley, now part of that park.

So enjoyable

Cataloochee is one of those great surprises that I just happened to stumble across while browsing in a book store. I have been disappointed at times with books in settings such as the Appalachians or deep South because they bog down with unrealistic characters, dialogue, and events. This is not the case with this book. I look forward to picking it up after work and find myself recommending the book to others. Excellent read all the way around!

Caldwell gets it just righ!

When you write about a specific place, you need to get it just right. Only by being very local, can the book become universal. And Caldwell describes Cataloochee beautifully and correctly. Cataloochee is a real place, now in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. You can visit and walk among the buildings that are still remaining, including the two chapels mentioned in the novel and the Caldwell House. You can hike it. See my hiking guide, "Hiking the Carolina Mountains", for specific hikes in Cataloochee. And when you do, imagine the characters as they came into the area and as their descendants left. If you enjoy novels, you'll love the characters. If you enjoy history, you'll understand the history of this island community. And if you're a hiker, you need to know where you're hiking.