In this pithy ethnography detailing the people of the Little Laurel Valley of western North Carolina, Hicks has accomplished an anthropological ideal--he takes us beyond the caricatured features of the hillbilly image and into the Appalachian folk culture, examining the surroundings with a compassionate and observant objectivity. While no longer completely isolated from the mainstream of American culture, the Little Laurel Valley preserves its cultural uniqueness in its local attitudes, speech, kinship relationships, and a strongly felt, cohesive identity based upon a knowledge of positive distinction. Characterized by an emphasis on egalitarianism, the strong belief in personal independence and individualism, clearly defined sex roles, a great regard for the rural life and the household within it, and a pervasive suspicion of urban things and people, the culture of the Little Laurel is reminiscent of earlier colonial American culture, and the small communities of rural Great Britain. Through Hicks' keen eyes we can overlook the stereotypical images of L'il Abner and Snuffy Smith, and see in a better light this local culture of distinction that is representative of much that is old-line American. Americans of Anglo-American extraction may find the essence of their identity here, overshadowded and corroded by the material affluence, crassness, and immorality endemic in the mainstream of modern America.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Accurate and sensitive understanding of a local community,
By Canicum "Canicum" (Mars Hill, NC) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Appalachian Valley (Paperback)
Having lived in the county and worked as a community organizer while George was completing his work in Little Laurel, I can vouch for the accuracy and sensitivity of his account. For years I used the original edition in my courses in Appalachian Social institutions and identified it as the single best community study on the Region. Particularly helpful is the chapter on the "ethic of neutrality" which not only provides insight to students and "outsiders" but also to native Appalachians who wish to reflect on their own culture. Glad to see it back in print!
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