Walking Toward the Sunset: The Melungeons of Appalachia (Melungeons: History, Culture, Ethnicity, & Literature) [Hardcover]

Wayne Winkler (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 314 pages
• Publisher: Mercer University Press; 1 edition (March 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0865549192
• ISBN-13: 978-0865549197
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,774,680 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fascinating Book, March 5, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Walking Toward the Sunset: The Melungeons of Appalachia (Melungeons: History, Culture, Ethnicity, & Literature) (Hardcover)

I had heard stories all my life about the Melungeons. They were a mysterious people of unknown origin who had strange customs. There have been newspaper and magazine articles in the last few years, but they never seemed to get to the heart of the story and tell us who the Melungeons actually are. I was eager to read this new book, and I'm glad I did. It turns out most of what I "knew" about Melungeons was false. Winkler puts the Melungeon story in historical context, and also talks about the many similar mixed-race groups around the United States, groups that I'd never heard of. This is a fascinating story about a tiny group of people who have survived to celebrate their unique heritage.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fascinating Book, March 5, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Walking Toward the Sunset: The Melungeons of Appalachia (Melungeons: History, Culture, Ethnicity, & Literature) (Hardcover)

I had heard of the Melungeons since I was a child, and thought I knew about them. "Walking Toward the Sunset" demonstrated that I really didn't know about them at all. The Melungeons are a mysterious people in Tennessee that are a mix of white, black, and Indian, and possibly Middle Eastern or Portuguese. I've heard stories and tall tales about the Melungeons all my life, but this book presents the facts -- not only about the Melungeons but about similar tri-racial groups across America that have faced discrimination and ostracism. This book is a real eye-opener about race and status in America, and how a tiny, unknown group has come to grips with their unique heritage.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fascinating Book, March 5, 2004

By 

michael e knowles (TN United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Walking Toward the Sunset: The Melungeons of Appalachia (Melungeons: History, Culture, Ethnicity, & Literature) (Hardcover)

I have heard stories and tall tales about the Melungeons since I was a child, and waited eagerly for Winkler's book. They were a mysterious people with strange customs who lived far up in the hills. It turns out most of what I "knew" about Melungeons was false. And there's much more to the story than I'd ever imagined. Winkler goes past the folklore and legends to get to the facts. He puts the story into historical context, and writes extensively about the similar groups all over America that I had never heard of. This is a fascinating story of race and status in America.