Singing Family of the Cumberlands [Paperback]

Jean Ritchie (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 25, 1988

PLEASE READ: All listings are for book only. May not include supplemental materials such a CD's, software, or passcodes. All used books are listed as being in 'Acceptable' condition. However, most are in better condition. EXPEDITED SHIPPING is highly recommended. Standard (Media) mail can take up to 20 business days

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The rich headnotes and photographs speak to the regional culture, the history of the songs and the family's life of simple, enduring values." -- Come-All-Ye

"Ritchie writes as she sings -- naturally and with an instinctive sense for rhythms. Her story of her rearing in the hill-circled town of Viper is simple, vivid, and moving.... A beautiful story of American living." -- New York Herald Tribune

"The Ritchies are rare peope, of sturdy poineer stock. Jean Ritchie sees them fondly, and the reader is likely to share her warmth." -- New York Times Book Review

""What a pleasure it is to have this book back in print... each time I open it and re-read the lyrics, I can hear, in my mind's ear, Jean Ritchie's voice, as so many have heard it, clear, calm, and strong."" -- Paintsville Herald

""The remarkably gentle nature of the book seems even more remarkable when on considers its locale -- the stern, rugged Cumberland Mountains, a stratified rock escarpment in the Appalachian Range. Seen through the gracious prose of Jean Ritchie, however, the cruel, forbidding mountains become kindly shields against the bustling outside work."" -- Saturday Review of Literature

""Singing Family of the Cumberlands, her memoir about growing up in Perry County, is considered a gem of Appalachian literature."" -- Jason Howard, Kentucky Living

""Birth, death, marrying, first love, going to the settlement schools -- the full round of living is here. Jean writes with such tenderness at times that one murmures an apology for intruding on the family circle."" -- Chicago Tribune

""The rich headnotes and photographs speak to the regional culture, the history of the songs and the family's life of simple, enduring values."" -- Come-All-Ye

""Ritchie writes as she sings -- naturally and with an instinctive sense for rhythms. Her story of her rearing in the hill-circled town of Viper is simple, vivid, and moving.... A beautiful story of American living."" -- New York Herald Tribune

""The Ritchies are rare peope, of sturdy poineer stock. Jean Ritchie sees them fondly, and the reader is likely to share her warmth."" -- New York Times Book Review

"Birth, death, marrying, first love, going to the settlement schools -- the full round of living is here. Jean writes with such tenderness at times that one murmures an apology for intruding on the family circle." -- Chicago Tribune

""Her memoire about growing up in Perry County is considered a gem of Appalachian literature."" -- Kentucky Living

From the Publisher

"The forty-two songs included here (themselves worth the price of the book) form a pleasant assortment of English, Scottish, and Irish ballads and songs ranging in mood from the tragedy of 'Fair Ellender' and 'Lyttle Musgrave' to the light humor of 'Nottamun Town' and 'The Darby Ram.'...The Ritchies are rare people, of sturdy pioneer stock. Jean Ritchie sees them fondly, and the reader is likely to share her warmth."-New York Times Book Review

"Ritchie writes as she sings--naturally and with an instinctive sense for rhythms. Her story of her rearing in the hill-circled town of Viper is simple, vivid, and moving. . . . A beautiful story of American living."--New York Herald Tribune

"The rich headnotes and photographs speak to the regional culture, the history of the songs and the family's life of simple, enduring values." --Come-All-Ye

"What a pleasure it is to have this book back in print . . . each time I open it and re-read the lyrics, I can hear, in my mind' ear, Jean Ritchie's voice, as so many have heard it, clear, calm, and strong." --Paintsville Herald

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 264 pages
• Publisher: The University Press of Kentucky; Reprint edition (August 25, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0813101867
• ISBN-13: 978-0813101866
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #577,212 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I'd give it more stars if I could., May 26, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Singing Family of the Cumberlands (Paperback)

The book is absolutely beautiful. It makes Jean Ritchie's songs more relevant, to read the words and the stories she associates with them. The mention of mining in the last chapter saddens me because I know what happened to all such communitites when the coal ran out. The book is beautiful.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic, December 10, 2004

By 

Paul B. "Critic" (Seattle, WA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Singing Family of the Cumberlands (Paperback)

This is a beautiful book full of terrific songs (all expertly arranged) and great writing. Jean Ritchie divides her life into thirteen chapters and weaves two or three songs into each one. The songs illustrate the memoir, and the memories provide a context for the songs. And the whole thing is so tightly organized that it reads like a novel.

5.0 out of 5 stars Singing Jean - my tribute to you, June 14, 2000

By 

Donita J Barnes - See all my reviews

This review is from: Singing Family of the Cumberlands (Paperback)

I found myself laughing while reading this book, and crying, at times, too. Jean has a style of writing that makes the reader feel like he/she's there. The people come to life, and you find yourself living with them in the Kentucky Cumberlands. I don't think I've ever even been there, and this book made me homesick.

Of course, if you're looking for crime and action, this isn't the book for you. This book is about 'down home' living when chores were really chores and food was home grown. In ways, it was a simpler kind of life, but in other ways, it was a lot harder.

You won't find this information in a history book. History books always put a tint on the past, leaving out peoples' mistakes and their imperfections. This is a real family story told by a real family person. It's evident that the two most important things in the writer's life were her family and their musical life together.

On a different level, I can't tell you, as an amateur genealogist, how valuable this book is to me. Every page has stories about the people who grew up in the time and place of my kin, many of them even mentioned by name. The next time I read it, I will be gleaning information for my tree! And this is one of the few books that I will read again and again.

Good job, Jean Ritchie. Thank you for bringing the Cumberlands of Kentucky to life for your readers.