Encyclopedia of Appalachia [Hardcover]

Rudy Abramson (Editor), Jean Haskell (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

The University of Tennessee Press received support from a number of companies, individuals, foundations, and organizations to fund the production of this comprehensive source of a major region of the U.S. The editors worked for almost 10 years on the project. Abramson is a journalist with the Los Angeles Times and a native of Alabama. Haskell is former director of and professor in the Center for Appalachian Studies and Services at East Tennessee State University.

The encyclopedia adopts the 2005 definition used by the Appalachian Regional Commission, describing Appalachia as consisting of 410 counties in 13 states from Mississippi to New York. The organization of the encyclopedia is thematic. There are five broad subject areas: "The Landscape," "The People," "Work and the Economy," "Cultural Traditions," and "Institutions." Each section begins with a five- to six-page introduction and is then subdivided into smaller subsections. "Work and the Economy" includes "Agriculture"; "Business, Industry and Technology"; "Labor"; "Tourism"; and "Transportation." Each subsection is an A-Z of people, places, and things.

The perception of Appalachia has been tarnished with numerous social, environmental, and economic problems, and the editors confront these as well as covering the positive aspects of the area. The 2,000 entries, written by more than 1,000 contributors from academia and journalism, include stereotypical topics (Feudsand violence, Hillbilly) but also subjects such as urban Appalachia and cultural institutions like the Pittsburgh Symphony. The entries are concise, well written, and readable both for the layperson and the scholar.

Although publicity for the encyclopedia advertises its ease of use, for a true reference source, a single alphabetical sequence would have improved quick access. The major finding aid, the general index, is sandwiched between the index of contributors and the photo credits. There are no color illustrations, and the black-and-white photographs do not really enhance the text.

This is an additional "area" encyclopedia but covers a larger section of the U.S. than other recent encyclopedias treating Chicago, New England, and New York. The editors and publisher are to be commended for completing a monumental work, and the reasonable price makes it a recommended purchase for all academic and large public libraries and also for high-school libraries in Appalachia. Christine Bulson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author

Journalist and author Rudy Abramson was a Washington correspondent for the Los Angeles Times for more than twenty-five years, during which time he served as national science correspondent, Pentagon correspondent, and White House correspondent. His major assignments included the U.S. space program, arms control policy, national political campaigns, the Watergate investigation, and environmental issues. Abramson is the author of Spanning the Century: The Life of W. Averell Harriman and Hallowed Ground: Preserving America's Heritage. He has written for Smithsonian Magazine, Audubon Magazine, Astronautics and Aeronautics Magazine, Encyclopaedia Britannica, the New York Times Book Review, and Appalachia. A graduate of the University of Mississippi, Abramson attended the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism as a Sloan-Rockefeller Fellow in Advanced Science Writing. He has also received a Mary and Barry Bingham Sr. Fellowship and an Alicia Patterson Fellowship. He is a native of Florence, Alabama. Jean Haskell retired as director and professor in the Center for Appalachian Studies and Services at East Tennessee State University. She is author of The Appalachian Photographs of Earl Palmer, co-editor of Performance, Culture, and Identity, and numerous other publications on Appalachian issues. Haskell has served in several capacities that promote Appalachian interests: as John D. Whisman Scholar with the Appalachian Regional Commission, Visiting Scholar with the School of Scottish Studies at the University of Edinburgh, cultural resource advisor to the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, on the board of directors of the Appalachian Consortium, Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway, and the Birthplace of Country Music Alliance, as past president of the Appalachian Studies Association, and as curator of the Appalachian program for the 2003 Smithsonian Folklife Festival. Haskell holds B.A. and M.A. degrees from the University of Memphis and a Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin. She currently resides in Portsmouth, Virginia, where she is vice-president of Commodore Associates, Inc., owners and operators of the historic Commodore Theatre.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 1864 pages
• Publisher: University of Tennessee Press; 1 edition (March 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1572334568
• ISBN-13: 978-1572334564
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 8.6 x 2.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #452,149 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Reference for the Region, March 24, 2006

By 

Javan Rasnake "Scholar and Warrior" (Blacksburg, Virginia (Kentucky Bred!)) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Encyclopedia of Appalachia (Hardcover)

I was priviledged to be at the Appalachian Studies conference where this mammoth work was unveiled, and it achieves it's purpose: it is a tremenous reference for all things Appalachian. I first knew about the encyclopedia when my father was contacted a few years ago to author a few articles for inclusion in the agriculture section. The editors have worked hard to find the most qualified people to write in every section- my dad grew up in Buchanan County, Virginia on a sustenance farm, and is now an agronomist who works for the University of Kentucky. Every contributor is this qualified!

One note: if you are looking for an "introduction" to the Appalachian Region, this is not it. This is more of a reference, reading this cover to cover would be somewhat comparable to reading the dictionary through, I would imagine. If you want an introduction, go for "A Handbook to Appalachia", by University of Tennessee Press, or, for a less scholarly but quite interesting take, the Foxfire series.

When I got my copy of the Encyclopedia, I was very impressed. I can't wait until I have time to sit down with it for a long while and simply browse through its pages and see how many new things I learn. As an undergraduate researcher in Appalachian Religion, I look forward especially to reading the religion section as edited by Howard Dorgan (whom I luckily had the chance to meet at the conference), the premier authority on religion in Appalachia.

For all scholars of Appalachia, this reference is invaluable.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Pair: Two Books That Change The Way We See Appalachia, May 14, 2006

By 

grad students in American Studies (Johnson City, TN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Encyclopedia of Appalachia (Hardcover)

Like Amazon's pairing, and featured on National Public Radio, The Encyclopedia of Appalachia and The United States of Appalachia: How Southern Mountaineers Brought Independence, Culture and Enlightenment to America, are two excellent and landmark books in understanding the history, cultures and social importance of the Southern Mountains to our country. The Encyclopedia is divided into several sections: land, people, economy, culture, and institutions (such as schools, media). Like any encyclopedia, the entries are short but concise, and provide just enough information to inform but not bore you and give a long list of resources for more scholarship. The experts and authors that contributed to the book come from colleges around the South and nation. Just leafing through this opus is rewarding. The richness and diversity of the region come through in every section. The United States of Appalachia is similar in its theme -- that Appalachia has been overlooked and undervalued -- but it provides more in-depth and inspiring portraits of Appalachian Americans who have been on the cutting edge of American innovations and social movements. It is divided into several parts: music, American Revolution, abolitionist movement, labor movements, literature, civil rights movement, and the environment.

Both of the these books are indispensable and highly recommended for all readers interested in history and life from one of our country's most misunderstood regions.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exciting Overview of Appalachian Culture, Music, Literature & Religion, June 20, 2006

By 

Matthew (Boone, North Carolina) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Encyclopedia of Appalachia (Hardcover)

As a undergrad who is finishing up my studies in History with a minor in Appalachian Studies at Appalachian State-I will go on and get my master's in Appalachian & Bluegrass studies .
This is a well-written resource that is full of any information of the Appalachia's. From literature, religion, mountain music, conservation, culture, movies, Foxfire,-more than you can digest in one reading.

The author breaks each catagory down in sections that deal with a specific topic. This is a must for your library. This is a thick volume that should have been broken down into 4 volumes. the book is very bulky and heavy. I guess all the education and reading does weigh a lot!