Killings-Pa

by William Lynwood Montell

Book Overview

" The "State Line Country" of this book is a rugged area of small farms on the Kentucky-Tennessee border. Historically the area has had a homicide rate more than ten times the national average. In this gripping and penetrating study of violence and death in the State Line Country, Lynwood Montell examines the local historical and social conditions, as well as the prevailing attitudes and values, that gave rise and support to rowdy behavior and homicidal...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0813108241
• ISBN13: 9780813108247
• Release Date: January 1986
• Publisher: University Press of Kentucky
• Length: 216 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Violence Begets Violence After the Civil War?

For anyone trying to understand the violence we do to one another, this is a powerful, well researched analysis of about a hundred "killings" that took place mostly after the Civil War. He explores the culture of violence created by the War in which "Home Guard" groups from both sides brutally dealt with those living in this Tennessee-Kentucky border region. An initial pattern of revenge for raids and vigilante killings seems to be a platform for decades of killings which went unreported. Montell gives us a visceral account of how justice was carried out without an active legal system in place. Only by chance did I recently stumble upon this book, despite the fact that much of it is about my family. Names have been changed to protect identities of people still living in the region, but the stories had been passed down and I recognized and learned far more detail about the pain experienced. I expect similar stories were played out all over the country, especially in the border states, in a context where no one was allowed to be neutral. The remoteness of this region, the business of moonshining, and the desenstizing effect of the Civil War seems to have added a tragic uniqueness.

Excellent Use of Oral History and Folklore

Lynwood Montell's book is an excellent study that uses oral history and folklore research techniques. Montell demonstrates that oral history and the study of folklore can be used to ascertain answers to important questions that pertain to historical analysis and the study of culture. He examines stories about murders and killings in southcentral Kentucky, analyzing them for common themes and implicit assumptions about violence and retribution. He concludes that the high incident of violence in the area can be understood, in part, by looking at the stories to reveal attitudes about a "subculture of violence" within the region. Although Montell cautions the reader against overgeneralizing from his work, his research suggests that the high incident of violence in this region of the South can be understood by identifying areas in which violence is considered an acceptable means for resolving certain types of disputes. It is to Montell's credit that he demonstrates how to interpret the texts he collected in order to develop these types of conclusions. Furthermore, his analysis of the stories suggests resources for interpreting violence in other communities. The book is well-written and provides an excellent model for similar types of research projects.