Customer Reviews

Foxfire 8

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

 

 

The Foxfire series is the creation of English teacher Elliott Wiggington (Wig) who made it a point to have students participating in his program interview older folks to find out how they did things in everyday life. And even though this is the work of high school students, the writing is clear, concise, informative, and very readable. Good writing is good writing.

Each volume is like a time capsule, capturing the wisdom and know-how from individuals born around the turn of the 20th century. And while the focus is based around the inhabitants in and around Rabun County, Georgia, this information shows life as it was in America circa the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries.

In this eighth volume, the focus is on folk pottery -- how its made, the different styles, and interviews with the artists. Most interesting is the firing process and the history of the kiln. You'll also find information on mule swapping and chicken fighting.

After reading several of these volumes, I think what appealed to me most of all was the fact that these older folks in the 80s and 90s weren't viewed as forgotten relics of a bygone era. They were treated with respect and dignity, and their memories treated as the treasures that they indeed are. It's a shame nowadays that we don't have more publications like Foxfire that highlight the knowledge gained from our older population. So many folks in the 70s, 80s, and 90s sit alone at home, or nursing homes forgotten and alone. They are untapped resources of great stories and wisdom. Fortunately for us, the people at Foxfire realized the value of these individuals and preserved some of those stories for future generations to cherish and enjoy.

If you have an interest in 19th century knowlege and an appreciation or an interest in how things used to be, you cannot do without this series.

Good information on pottery, how to build primitive kilns, could be more detailed on mining the clay for pottery though

Foxfire 8 takes on those issues of Appalachia which have been pushed aside by many other authors and publishers. IMHO these authors covered a lot of good and important topics in depth. I've been reading Foxfire books for over 20 years and appreciate the efforts of the students as well as the teachers and the Foundation.

This book gives a vivid picture of many aspects of rural life. I was most interested in the pottery-making information, and the descriptions of the technique are excellent. The anecdotes by working potters are priceless.

I purchased all 12 Foxfire volumes in one purchase. After having read and thumbed-through them, I can honestly state that these books are invaluable. I was impressed with some of the "old skills" that were documented by these group of students. I personally live in the north Georgia area and can vouge for the fact that many of the techniques documented in the books are indeed accurate. I do recommend any of the Foxfire series for individuals who, like our family, strive to live an independant lifestyle, away from the "modern" ways of doing things. Some things you keep from the modern lifestyle, but many, many are easy to discard. A good read.

All of the FoxFire books, are excellently done, and a joy to read. If you have an interest in the "old ways", and are not fortunate enough to have someone from that generation show you how. These are the next best things~

I was so disappointed in this book, have been buying the series for my husband. This edition has a blank pages and pages out of order and 2 pages skipped completely. I am going to contact the publisher over this.