Customer Reviews

Foxfire 10

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Foxfire books are a wonderful thing and we are so lucky to have them. Many of the ways, crafts, planting lore, animal lore, and as the book says "affairs of plain living" are preserved here. This particular volume includes oral histories of the Great Depression, CCC Camps and their impact on the local areaa and ecomomy, folk art, chair makeing, and of special interest to me, gourd art. This is a wonderful recording of life the way it was and probably never will be again. The book is quite well written and has faithfully recorded even the dialect of these wonderful people, from which so many of us sprung. That is a big part of the charm of these works. This book includes actual interviews with folks from that region of the country which I am sure are long dead now. Their knowledge would be completely lost without works such as this. Another generation or two and it will all be completely gone. This book will cetainly be of great interest to those, like me, who are interested in the depression era and in the CCC in particular. Thank goodness we have recordings such as this. Recommend this one highly.

As most readers already know, the Foxfire book series is a true treasure. Book 10 is no exception but it must be noted that as the series progress from book 1 through 12 the content does move from specific 'hands on how to' toward more of an historical review of the people of the Appalachia. There are some sections in Foxfire 10 that are dedicated to details of craft (most notably that of Chairmaking) but the majority of the content is about individuals and their colorful lives.

This does not detract from the importance of the book however. The craft-heavy content of the earlier books in the series are priceless but only because of the people who pass it on through the text. Many of the wise people of the Appalachia are covered in this book and it makes the series more well rounded. Most notable for me was the chapter on "Hard Times" as told by those Americans who lived through them. It will either make you appreciate what you have or it will urge you to prepare for similar times...perhaps both.

If you are considering collecting all of the Foxfire series book 10 will be no disappointment. I only held off on five stars as the first half of the series gets that accolade due to more practical content.

It's a great deal of fun to read about the historical needs and solutions of the Appalachian people that applies as well to my own history. There are great reminders of a simpler and maybe happier life.

Both my husband and I enjoyed this book. He is from W.N.C. and enjoyed reading about areas near where he grew up. I liked it also, having lived there for four years.

my husband and i really enjoy reading all the foxfire books. they are told by real people in their own words. love em!

I have been collecting and reading the Foxfire series for several years now and I consider them as some of the best reading that I have found.I think that they are a direct link to our mountain heritage as well as American history. I have learned many skills and lost arts from these books and I would highly recommend them to anyone who has such interests.