Customer Reviews

Knoxville's Secret History

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Writing quality: 5 stars Entertainment value: 5 stars Historical accuracy: 5 stars Educational value masquerading as fun: 5 stars

Every city should have a Jack Neely. This book consists of 1 to 3 page vignettes of local, often offbeat history of Knoxville, Tennessee. Most were originally published in MetroPulse, the town's alternative newspaper. (For a sample of his work, his latest column can usually be found on the newspaper's web site.)

Neely is very insightful in his choice of topics and his historical accuracy is top-notch. While focused on Knoxville, Neely ties his stories into broader trends in Southern and US history. Reading this book, you get a feeling for what daily life was really like in small American cities at various times in the past.

Neely has two of these books, Secret History and Secret History II

If you live near Knoxville, TN and want to know the history, this is the best place to turn to. Neely knows fun and interesting facts about East Tennessee like no other. Even if you don't live in the area, there's still a lot of historical interest to keep you reading. The book also has a great layout, too!