North Carolina Books

John Sheahan, chairperson of the Bryce Wood Award Committee said, "Robert Williams' book is an extraordinarily good example of systematic economic and historical analysis used to answer an intriguing question. The question is how to explain the striking differences among Central American countries in the dimensions of democracy, political repression, and social concern. Williams goes deeply into their different responses to the rise of the world coffee market in the late nineteenth century, and explains clearly the view that these experiences have marked the political and social evolutions of the countries ever since."

I have read dozens of books on the history of coffee and how it has shaped the lives of hundreds of millions of people, but in some respects this is the very best. Note: it is can be scholarly in the depth of its investigation, but for me that was all for the best. And it never reads like an "academic" piece, but rather is compelling, at least if you're already concerned about this topic.

This is one of the first books that I recommend to people who want to know why so many people who supply the world with coffee are so poor, and denied serious options to change their conditions. The reader should note that this book does not try to describe all coffee producting countries, rather just three, each of which has been profoundly shaped by coffee, but in ways distinct from one another. That demonstrates that there is nothing pre-ordained about societies that are economically dependent upon coffee production.

In a personal, painstaking and fascinating look back at the music and those who played it, the author has captured the essence, spirit and love for music of a time gone by but whose impact is still being felt today. With the care of someone fulled with the admiration and respect of those who have gone before, Kevin Donleavy's decades-long project identifies over 1,300 players of traditional music from southern Virginia and northern North Carolina, dating from pre-1870 into the 20th century. The text is accompanied by a wealth of rare photographs which add much to the rich narrative. As stated in the introduction: "The collection of anecdotes, stories and utterances came from the musicians as they talked about themselves or about other players with whom they are or were familiar." Besides being a valuable resource for any musicologist, the book chronicles the lives and a musical tradition in danger of being lost were it not for this authoritative and heartfelt tome.

Amazon's Reading Level rating of "Young Adult" for this unusual volume is inaccurate and misleading. While "Strings" will be enjoyed by readers of all ages, it is written for an adult audience. The book explores in elaborate detail a little-known segment of American society: the unsophisticated, gentle and talented musicians of the mountain South. This unique book chronicles and helps to preserve one of the few genuine types of traditional American music through its recording of intimate conversations with these aging musicians, whose way of life and mores are rapidly disappearing under the onslaught of modern American life.

Two driven people...going in two different directions.

When fate and a fake wedding bring Ellie and Sam together, the odds of them staying together seem long...but sometimes love finds a way to bridge distance!

I enjoyed spending the day getting to know Ellie and Sam...two purpose-driven people whose pathways cross. The electricity between them is immediate, even though they try to deny it.

The descriptions of North Carolina, especially the Pilot Mountain area, will make you want to visit the state. The author paints lovely pictures both of the countryside and the people. You will want to meet Ellie and Sam and will be cheering for them at the end of the book!

Ms. Hutchens is a newly published writer of romantic fiction. I look forward to reading her next book...and her next book...and her next book...

Anne M. Whisnant has written not only an analytical work with penetrating insights into the difficulties of creating recreational spaces for the public good but has managed to do it with beautiful and engaging prose. The first work on the Parkway not to get bogged down into trivial details about the construction process (as a response to Harley Jolley's work), Super-Scenic Motorway uses several vignettes to highlight how the Parkway came to be, what it was supposed to represent in the eyes of many different groups, and the difficult choices inherent in pursuing a public good. These vignettes illustrate how the Parkway was vigorously pursued by Ashevillians as a panacea for the ills of the Great Depression as well as by other groups who saw its potential for economic benefit. What is clear from Whisnant's work is just how much the Parkway was a creation of mankind -- clearly, Parkway planners had to "improve" upon the natural setting to make it live up to their ideals.

Though Parkway boosters praised the combination of conservation and economic benefit, not all people welcomed the super-scenic motorway. Displaced mountain residents, those who worked with restrictive land covenants, and those who were denied the promise of a paved road by limited access all found reason to complain about the beaucratic nightmare that was the process of building the Parkway. Whisnant is careful to show that the definition of the public good creates winners and losers and she does not privilege the Parkway's boosters over the losers, nor does she romanticize the losers as victims. The account of both sides is nuanced and insightful.

The majority of the vignettes come from the North Carolina experience, highlighting incidents involving Asheville, Little Switzerland, Grandfather Mountain, and the Eastern Band of the Cherokee. A nod to the Virginia Parkway experience looks at the politics of history and memory at the Peaks of Otter. Whether this unevenness of treatment is the result of the bounty of archival material, authorial choice, or historical circumstance (perhaps North Carolinians had more to fight over?) is not clear. The theme of public good and the choices that it defines, however, ties the vignettes together in this masterfully written work.

"Super-Scenic Motorway" tells a fascinating history of the Blue Ridge Parkway -- just one small piece of the entire history, but an important and, as the author points out, a neglected one. At the heart of the book, Ms. Whisnant tells four stories to illustrate the impact of the political process, largely (but not exclusively) at the administrative level, on land acquisitions for the Parkway route. As noted in the Epilogue, other examples could have served the purpose, but the four, the Peaks of Otter in Virginia, and Little Switzerland, Grandfather Mountain, and the Cherokee lands in North Carolina, are well chosen, exhaustively researched and documented, and "to her credit" [a phrase I just had to throw in -- you'll have to read the book to find out why], fairly told. Along the way we are also given insights into the evolution of the National Park Service and its approaches to historical interpretation. I should add that the book begins with an explanation of the parks, roads and Western N.C. tourism setting within which the Parkway came about, followed by a cursory look at the roughshod way that state government, particularly in North Carolina, and the NPS treated small landowners and small businesses when acquiring land and building the Parkway. On the other hand, if you're looking for design, engineering and construction details or information about the contributions of the CCC and other New Deal agencies, i.e., the actual work on the ground, you'll find precious little of that here.

All that having been said, bear in mind that Ms. Whisnant is a professional academic historian, not a writer of popular histories (e.g., a Stephen Ambrose). Thus, we're frequently told (every couple of pages would be an exaggeration, but it eventually feels like it) that issues of class, culture, the broader society, competing economic interests, etc., etc. played out through the political process that gave us the Parkway. Sample sentence: "The equilibrium of public needs [a concept Whisnant conveniently glosses over] and private interests, local exigencies and broad policy concerns that the often-competing constituencies involved in the project had sought to achieve in the Parkway's first twenty years were knocked askew." Apparently that kind of language is intended to give the book its academic credentials. Ms. Whisnant having gone that route (no pun intended), I only wish that the publisher had opted for convenient footnotes rather than cumbersome endnotes.

If you have the same reaction to this book I do, your appetite will be whetted to learn more about the BRP and the NPS. One tiny example: How did the "Orchard at Altapass," a treasure near Spruce Pine and Little Switzerland that is a commercial venture (though possibly organized as a non-profit) of the roadside-tourist variety that the NPS apparently despised, end up directly on the Parkway?

[A disclosure of my particular interest. I've been a North Carolina resident for more than 40 years, and have made substantial personal use of the Parkway and its facilities. For the last 6 years I've lived within a couple miles of the Parkway, which is now my shortest route to the Wal-Mart in Spruce Pine, N.C. Again, you'll have to read the book to find out why this final fact is significant.]

I used this book when I worked as a media specialist. The K-3 children sat still for it and loved the pictures. It's instructive and fun. I'm ordering another copy for the public library in which I work now.

This book has so many great facts and figures. As a promoter of NC Tourism this book had all the little secrets I knew about and some I didn't. A simple read. Great illustrations. A book for all ages!

Take A Chance is a remarkable story of life, challenge, engagement and collaboration, told from the perspective of a father taking the opportunity to introduce himself to his thirteen year old son in a precious and powerful way.

As I find myself trying to find the balance between the demands of home and the requirements of work, this story brought me back thirty years to the summers spent in the mountains of the Southeast. More importantly, it brought to light the need to reach balance in the activities that often compete with the critical task of "Being There" for the children as we strive to provide for their futures.

I have read this novel and will soon share it with my twelve year old. The sights, sounds, and smells came back to me like a day hadn't passed. The memories of adventure, teamwork, and friendship also poored over me like a flood. On a different yet very important level, the application of this level of engagement and collaboration to the work and presentations I now provide is a concrete example of how our organizations could be structured. Listen to the story of how that cabin of 10 kids and two counselors bonded to become ONE extremely functional unit. This was the experience I had as boy of that age, and one that I strive to experience within the organizations I now serve.

Look at Collins (Good to Great), Lencioni (Five Dysfunctions of a Team) and Axelrod (Terms of Engagement) and you will find the salient features of their works exemplified in Take A Chance. Would anyone disagree that the characteristics embodied in the character of "Chance" were not those of a Level 5 leader?

Read, remember and share with your kids. The time you give them now is a far greater investment than the 401K :-)

Well done, Mr. Melrose! Your tale brings a new and refreshing look at the calling we strive to serve. You have soared beyond expected limits, to help us all find (or find again) our better selves. Thank you.

The book tells a lot about what it is like to go to camp. I enjoyed the part about the ropes course. I liked the end,too, because it was exciting.

I have seen the towns that they talk about in the book, and Shining Rock, because I live near the place where Camp Hampton is supposed to be.

This is a good book.
Try it.

...

I bought this book for my nephew and he loved it! It's a nice hardcover and had great pictures.

I just finished Jim Sumner's book. It's called "Tales From The Duke Blue Devils
Hardwood". It's a great read and nearly impossible to put down. The Book Chronicles Duke Basketball history beginning with Wilbur "Cap " Card a Trinity College graduate from 1902 who returned to introduce basketball at Trinity in 1906 and culminates with the Blue Devils 15th ACC title in 2005.
The majority of the book was taken from interviews from the likes of Mark Alarie,Tate Armstrong, Gene Banks, Joe Belmont,Vic Bubas, Tom Butters, Johnny Dawkins,Randy Denton,Danny Ferry, Mike Gminski,Bernie Janicki,Jack Marin,Dan Meagher,Gary Melchionni, Jim Spanarkel and Robby West to name a few.

This is a delightful and insightful book that is well researched. It has very interesting background on many place names and gives the reader a new understanding on why we have such odd names for many of our towns, etc. I am sure that the same kind of explanations may be applied to place names in many states, not just North Carolina; therefore this book is not just for North Carolinians!

I am familiar with this author's writings & I always find her stories warm, funny & just a lovely respite between stress attacks. She is a fabulous southern writer. This book is no exception, she humorously explains why certain oddly named cities in North Carolina happened to get their names. this is a great beach read! It is also a fun road book witht he kids!

Whether you are a fan of Edgar Tolson's work or of woodcarving in general, this is an essential book to have if you are interested in folk art of the 20th century. The thorough research done on Edgar Tolson is fascinating and through his art and career the world of 20th century folk art is examined. From key folk art collectors to various museums and institutions, the 20th century folk art movement was created and sold to the buying public. By the time the "important" artists were established all of the "important" early work was already in the hands of a few collectors and the museums. It's no accident that Tolson's work ended up in a prestigious Whitney Biennial and his artwork sky-rocketed in price. The same with Howard Finster. By the time his work was presented as being important to the general public, a narrow group of collectors and critics had already hoarded the first few thousand of his numbered pieces which the critics then deemed as the most important of his career. And the story continues to this day with collectors / critics buying early key works, then recommending them to the general folk art buyers. This book is perhaps the best analysis of why and how a folk artist becomes "important" in the 20th century. It may or may not sour your view on 20th century folk art but is a great read either way. As with all art or decorative objects, if you just buy what you like and ignore the critics, you'll be happy. Who's to say 10, 20 or 50 years from now if anyone will even care about "20th century folk art."

Ms. Julia S. Ardey has put together an extraordinary work -- filled with stories and pictures of a poor Kentucky man who whittled stuff to which other folks took a liking. My grandfather Edgar Tolson will always remain an elusive character both in life and in death hard to explain and to understand. As all great artists he was not one dimensional. Ms. Ardey did a fine job of grasping enough bits and pieces of his life, through the eyes and hearts of those who knew him, to give a reasonable representation of who Edgar Tolson was and why he whittled. Ms. Ardey interviewed scores of people and personalities who all have their own opinion of Edgar Tolson the Man and Edgar Tolson the Woodcarver and the times in which he lived. Ms. Ardey managed a remarkable feat in compling those interviews into an a very good work. She included many pictures that give insight into an artisan and his art. Many pictures capture Edgar's soul in his eyes -- others show a family life of just real folks who just have a Daddy that whittles in the living room and lets the shavings fall to floor. As a granddaugther of Edgar Tolson, beloved Kentucky woodcarver, I am very pleased with the work Julia S. Ardery managed to put together on his life and extraordinary talent. With a family as large as he had I am sure that this book will be debated into generations, however, it is a real good starting point at which to kick off the debate of fact or fiction. The papaw I knew was a wonderful minister; he loved his God, knew his bible and had a passion for sharing the Biblical Truths of his God with others through his work. He managed to reach the very far corners of the earth with his renditions of Adam & Eve in Garden of Eden, Their Fall, and Noah's Ark among a few--how many ministers can stake that claim. He carved what was upon his heart to carve. He was discovered by others who marketed it to a world who craved his carvings and what they represented to them. I am so pleased that Ms. Ardery managed to compile so much ! of his life and work into this book. It makes for really good reading and gives the reader the opportunity to linger with story and photo's of Edgar Tolson and his artwork long enough to gain an understanding of why so many are so drawn to it, him and living upon this earth. Thank you Ms. Ardery for a job well done.

I would highly recommend "Thirteen Miles from Suncrest" to people who like to read about life in the south in the early 1900s. Follow the main character, Medford McGee, as he grows up on a farm, his school life, his social life, and how he mingles with other people in the community. The book covers interesting historical happenings in that era and a young boys reactions to the events. This book is for people who likes to watch television programs such as The Waltons. I found the ending a tragic surprise, but I still found the book charming and heartwarming and deeply suggest the reading of the novel, "Thirteen Miles from Suncrest" for its gentle warmth.

I like novels whose characters remind me of aunts and uncles I remember from my days growing up on the farm and this novel is full of them. The setting is Appalachia during the early days of the twentieth century. Davis is especially good at creating characters you come to care about. This is a great read for those who enjoy stories from the early 1900's and who enjoy rich characterization.