The Appalachians: America's First and Last Frontier (Hardcover)

~ Mari-Lynn Evans (Editor), (Editor), (Editor) "It is no surprise that a region as rich in natural splendor and resources as Appalachia would, from early on, attract settlers, in particular those..." (more)
Key Phrases: mountaintop removal, roots music, West Virginia, North Carolina, Shelby Lee Adams (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Some 23 million people live in Appalachia, a region covering 200,000 square miles through 13 states. Congress declared 2002â€"2003 the "Year of Appalachia," highlighted by the Folklore Festival, a two-week celebration on the Washington, D.C., Mall attended by 1.1 million visitors. This anthology is the companion to a two-part PBS documentary (currently scheduled for air in September). Over 30 contributors cover all aspects of Appalachian life and culture, from "living-water baptism," coal mining, feuds, folktales, Foxfire, moonshiners, mountain music and snake handlers to the stately grandeur of North Carolina's Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest, a 3,840-acre wilderness. Citing stereotypes and pop culture connections (Snuffy Smith, The Andy Griffith Show, The Waltons, Deliverance), Santelli (The Big Book of the Blues) sets the scene with an overview of the real Appalachia's origins, hardships and triumphs. Evans, the film's executive producer, writes that book and film provide "a multifaceted glimpse [of] the history of Appalachia: who came to the land, why they came, what they found, what they did, and why they stayed." Former Rolling Stone Press editor George-Warren presents a "Hillbilly Timeline" from 1900 to 2000. Many of the contributors, among them scholars, writers and naturalists, offer nostalgic childhood memories. Sidebar embellishmentsâ€"quotes, images, lyrics, poems and excerpts from 19th-century writingâ€"complement the text. Over 180 superb photos and illustrations include Archie L. Musick's scratch-board art, song sheets, engravings and R. Crumb drawings. 16 pages of color photos not seen by PW.
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From Booklist

This book leans heavily on illustrations to tell its story, but as the companion volume to a PBS documentary, that's no surprise. The Appalachian region of the U.S. covers more than 195,000 square miles in 13 states, and, as depicted in these essays, oral histories, reminiscences, and, of course, photographs, it's something of a "land that time forgot." In the midst of high-tech, cutting-edge, twenty-first-century America, there exists a folk culture that keeps its history alive through song and story and picture, that embraces the new century without being engulfed by it. Yes, the world may be a global village, but there are still parts of that world that manage to evade the global tentacles while preserving the village values. The PBS documentary, coupled with the Smithsonian's declaration that 2004 is the "Year of Appalachia," should guarantee plenty of reader interest. David Pitt
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Random House (January 6, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1400061865
• ISBN-13: 978-1400061860
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 1.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #365,031 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Appalachia Has An Enduring Frontier Spirit, August 2, 2004

By	Appalachian Classroom Teacher (Southern Highlands - USA) - See all my reviews

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 very positive response to them. Now, as a classroom teacher, I am going to recommend these parallel books to all of my students and make the books required reading for some of my classes. I want my students to see for themselves that Appalachia has an enduring frontier spirit and that our ancestors' ways, values, faith, and determination are still evident in the midst of the universal changes of contemporary times.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars well meaning but little new information, January 30, 2006

By	Harvey Wells (northern Kentucky) - See all my reviews

I picked up this book like most folks, I bet, after watching the PBS series. I found the film more effective than the book. The book is really a rehash of a lot of old stories that don't veer too much off the well-trod paths...that is, fine folks in the backwoods, front porch story tellers, and mostly white Appalachians.

To be honest, a far more groundbreaking and fascinating and rich portrait is the new book, The United States of Appalachia: How Southern Mountaineers Brought Independence, Culture and Enlightenment to America.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Glad You Suggested This Book & "People Of Passion" Together, March 22, 2005

By	Liz (Daytona Beach, FL) - See all my reviews

This book provides great insight for readers into an often misunderstood and underappreciated area of our country. I was born and reared in the highlands of Southern Appalachia and I was happy to read of some things I already knew and then learn some new things. The book has great photos and descriptive essays.

And, Amazon, under the "Better Together" banner, suggested buying "People Of Passion: Stories of Faith & Determination That Will Touch Your Heart & Warm Your Soul." What a great companion book this proved to be!

Through 48 brief personal stories, "People of Passion" presents 200 years of history in the Southern Appalachian Highlands. Beginning in the 1770s and going through the 1960s, these dramatic accounts are in chronological order, which I think makes them even more interesting. These informative chronicles often tugged at my heart strings and definitely caused me to even more deeply appreciate the courage and sacrifices of our ancestors. I was also surprised at some things that I had no idea of. "People of Passion" is an informative, entertaining, and inspirational book that complements well "The Appalachians: America's First & Last Frontier."