The Appalachians: America's First and Last Frontier

Book Overview

A beautifully produced companion volume to the public television documentary The Appalachians fills the void in information about the region, offering a rich portrait of its history and its legacy in... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1400061865
• ISBN13: 9781400061860
• Release Date: June 2004
• Publisher: Random House
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 2.09 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.4" x 1.0" x 7.6"

Customer Reviews

Great Introduction to America's Southern Treasure

Mari-Lynn Evans and others have compiled a very nice volume of stories, information, and cultural images from the Southern Mountains called Appalachia into a concisely written book. The book is also rich in color and b/w pictures too. This book is in my opinion for those Americans who know nothing of the mountain history and cultural and want the truth about this often misunderstood and sterotyped part of our nation. The book was written in sections so one could read the book in parts and lay it down, then pick it up and resume reading. The book had some colorful stories in it that entertained and yet other sections that were deeply informative and historically ancedotal. That was a nice mix so the reader doesn't lose interest in the subject. There were no blatant mountain stereotypes or overly romanticized stories in the book, yet I have read other books on Appalachia where the information on the mountains was more in depth and dry reading. I have personally purchased this book for three other people besides myself. For those interested in this treasured part of America, this is a great book to read first.

Appalachia Has An Enduring Frontier Spirit

Appalachia, the Southern Highlands, and the Great Smoky Mountains - these are the places where my ancestors settled in the late 1700s, and where my family has remained. As I write this review, it is for two books. The first is "The Appalachians: America's First and Last Frontier." The second is "People of Passion: Stories of Faith & Determination That Will Touch Your Heart & Warm Your Soul." These books combine to present word pictures and photography that do justice to the area and the people I love. The first book, with its photographs, essays, oral histories, and historical timeline, covers all of Appalachia, including its geography and people, from Mt. Katahdin, Maine, to Mt. Oglethorpe, Georgia. It is a scholarly work that flows well and is easy to read. The diversity of the 200,000 square mile region with its 13 states is evident, but the thread of similarity and solidarity that runs throughout the region and its 23 million people is definitely unique. The book emphasizes that Appalachia is one of the few regions of the country that has its centuries-old culture still intact. And we're not talking about "The Beverly Hillbillies" or "Green Acres." The book does not ignore the stereotypes with which most everyone is familiar, but it also reveals the realities of which relatively few people are aware. It covers the customary moon shiners and snake handlers, but it also includes the literature, art, crafts, music, customs, and other contributions that are distinctive to the region. Reading this book will help one to appreciate better that fact that Smithsonian designated 2004 to be the "Year of Appalachia." The second book, "People of Passion," presents 200 years of history in the Southern Highlands as told through personal stories. These 48 stories are in chronological order, beginning in 1768 with James Robertson, "The Father of Tennessee." They run through 1965, with the last story being about a mountain nurse named Marjorie Chalmers. In between are accounts of such people as John Ross, the main Cherokee chief for nearly 40 years; Dr. Raymond Huggins, a first-class tooth-jumper; the North Carolina Manumission Society that denounced slavery and purchased slave contracts to free them; Billy Ogle, the founder of what was to become the resort city of Gatlinburg, TN; Mahala Mullins, arguably the most celebrated of the unique Melungeon ethnic group; and the Walker Sisters, staunchly independent women that are still legendary in these mountains. All of the accounts are interwoven with historic research that ties them together, from the Revolutionary War, to the Civil War, on through the two World Wars, and beyond. The book is informative, entertaining, and inspirational. It certainly supports its subtitle, "Stories of Faith & Determination That Will Touch Your Heart & Warm Your Soul." Initially, I got these books because of my personal interest in and love for Appalachia. I was not disappointed. In fact, I was surprised at my ve

The best introduction to contemporary Appalachia

Several years ago editor Mari-Lynn Evans contacted me for help on her PBS series on Appalachia. Since 1978 I have worked on scores of films, most notably John Sayles' "Matewan," Hollywood films like "Reckless," and many others, both in-state and out of state. I helped create the mega-series by WVPBS on the state - "West Virginia - A Film History," widely considered to be the best film portrait of any state. Ms. Evans also said that a book and CD would be created. I am thrilled that the book that has been produced has become such a great cultural introduction to Appalachia on its own.I myself have wanted to make a film or write a book on the widespread influence Appalachian culture has had on not only American culture in general, but global culture. Tom Wolfe's book, "The Right Stuff," was one trigger for this inspiration when he talks during the opening of the book about how so many pilots have a twang to their voice that goes back to West Virginian Chuck Yeager. This book largely does what I intended, showing through its many chapters how wide an influence Appalachians like Johnny Cash, Lee Smith, and Senator Robert Byrd have had on all of us. I particularly enjoyed the many photos taken inside West Virginia, the home state to Ms. Evans and the one where I live. West Virginia is, after all, the ONLY state that is entirely Appalachian. I also enjoyed the many photos of Shelby Lee Adams, who is perhaps the most famous Appalachian photographer now, and the subject of a great documentary, "The True Meaning of Pictures." I also greatly enjoyed the many pictures from Ms. Evans family archive. As a filmmaker for many years, she has protected this archive, and finally had the perfect opportunity to share them with the world.Two outstanding essays in the book are by two activists fighting the scourge of mountaintop stripmining. Vivian Stockman and Julia Bonds are world-class fighters who have stood up to illegal destruction of the environment unequalled elsewhere in the world. When Ms. Evans began this project, I told her that from my point of view this area is the most important one for people to learn about concerning Appalachia today. Shortly before I moved to Appalachia from Minnesota, my home state, I watched Barbara Kopple's landmark film, "Harlan County, USA." I met Kopple in New York City, accepting a film award for another great filmmaker, Les Blank. Ever since then - June 1978 -I have been living in Appalachia, working with filmmakers, photographers, authors, and many others, documenting one of the most amazing places on earth. I have worked with Appalshop on many films - Appalshop being perhaps the leading media arts center in the world. I even discovered that my Texas ancestors were originally Appalachians from Kentucky or another homeland of transplanted Scotch-Irish. The book is a fine introduction - the best that I am aware of - for anyone who wants to learn about all aspects of Appalachian life. It is only 256 small pages, easy to read, a

Wonderful book

I think this is probably the best book I have ever seen on Appalachia. It covers the history but it is also really fun to read. I especially liked the essays on music. I have looked for a long time for a history book that would be appropriate for high school students and there weren't any out there. I think this book would also be helpful for college students. As an educator, I would highly recommend this book. It seems like all the leading scholars have participated in this book and it shows.