Tennessee Books

Interviewing Appapachia is a rich collection of interviews from some of the forerunners of Appalachian Studies and Literature, such as James Still, Marilou Awiakta, Fred Chappell, Lee Smith, Jim Wayne Miller, Appalshop, and SAWC, the Southern Appalachian Writer's Cooperative. This collection of articles was gleaned from the pages of the Appalachian Journal, founded by co-editor J.W. Williamson in 1972. Published at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, this journal has been on the cutting edge of Appalachian Studies for over 30 years. Though Interviewing Appalachia is not a complete spectrum of every great interview to ever grace the pages of the Appalachian Journal, you won't find such in-depth interviews in one collection anywhere else. A must-read for anyone interested in the literature and culture of the Appalachian region.

A well written book my seven year old granddaughter could read by herself, and copy the little girl in the book by making a "magic wand" to ward away the bad dreams at night. I also thank the author for including into the story how important it is for the child to talk about the dreams during the day with adults. This book was exactly what I was hoping for ! Thank you Ted Lobby so much!

Great book - an easy read and very informative. Being a new resident I wanted to learn all about my new place and this gave me a great historical perspective of the area.

Charles Hudson is perhaps the best scholar to read about the interaction of Indians and Spanish in the American Southeast during the 16th century. His book about De Soto's route is definitive. This book concerns the nearly-forgotten expeditions of Juan Pardo through the Carolinas and across the Appalachians to Tennessee in 1566,67,and 68. Included in the book are the official accounts in Spanish of Pardo's expeditions plus English translations.

Pardo visited several of the same Indian cities as De Soto had thirty years earlier and thus we have two sources regarding such places as Cofitachequi, Joara, and Coosa. When De Soto reached Cofitachequi -- few miles east of present-day Columbia, SC, it was aleady in decline, having suffered from a plague -- almost certainly of European origin. By Pardo's time, the powerful Chiefdom was on its last legs. Within a few years, the complex societies seen by the early Spanish would cease to exist to be replaced by the much depopulated and simpler societies of the historic Creek, Cherokee, Catawba and other Indian tribes.

Hudson pieces together linguistic and archaeological data as well as nuggets from the tiresome accounts of the expedition by Pardo's legalistic notary to portray the Indians Pardo met. One interesting feature of Pardo's expeditions compared with De Soto's is that Pardo had few battles or adventures, got along well with most of the Indians he met, and none of his men were killed or died.

There is little information about the Indians of the Southeast at the time of first contacts with the invading Europeans. Pardo's is one of the most useful and least fanciful accounts that we have and Hudson's interpretation of it is almost surely the best that can be found.

Smallchief

Charles Hudson is perhaps the best scholar to read about the interaction of Indians and Spanish in the American Southeast during the 16th century. His book about De Soto's route is definitive. This book concerns the nearly-forgotten expeditions of Juan Pardo through the Carolinas and across the Appalachians to Tennessee in 1566,67,and 68. Included in the book are the official accounts in Spanish of Pardo's expeditions plus English translations.

Pardo visited several of the same Indian cities as De Soto had thirty years earlier and thus we have two sources regarding such places as Cofitachequi, Joara, and Coosa. When De Soto reached Cofitachequi -- few miles east of present-day Columbia, SC, it was aleady in decline, having suffered from a plague -- almost certainly of European origin. By Pardo's time, the powerful Chiefdom was on its last legs. Within a few years, the complex societies seen by the early Spanish would cease to exist to be replaced by the much depopulated and simpler societies of the historic Creek, Cherokee, Catawba and other Indian tribes.

Hudson pieces together linguistic and archaeological data as well as nuggets from the tiresome accounts of the expedition by Pardo's legalistic notary to portray the Indians Pardo met. One interesting feature of Pardo's expeditions compared with De Soto's is that Pardo had few battles or adventures, got along well with most of the Indians he met, and none of his men were killed or died.

There is little information about the Indians of the Southeast at the time of first contacts with the invading Europeans. Pardo's is one of the most useful and least fanciful accounts that we have and Hudson's interpretation of it is almost surely the best that can be found.

Smallchief

I loved the book! It is very cleverly written. It leads you to the small yet beautiful mid TN towns. It's so sad that the story is based on real scandal in horse industry in Nashville area. I hope more people read this book and think " are we all deserve to treat other creatures like that?"
I was in tears reading the part industry people call "fixing" or "soring" the horse. I didn't know about this scandal until I read this book and tried to know what happened back then. I wouldn't say too much for the people who will read this book in the future, but it's really ugly. I'm ashamed as one of TN resident.
The author's description of each character and scene is also done beautifully. Made me feel like watching the story instead of reading.
I hope to see Heather again soon in her other or new case.
Again, this book makes you think how you should be as a decent human being.

My friends were moving from the O.C. to Tennessee, due to a change in job location. This book made an awesome going away gift. Since they didn't have family or friends in the area, they were able view all the fun places to visit with their two children.

This is one of the most complex and well written plays I have ever read. The brilliant technique of Williams' writing is nearly untraceable during your read, however given some close analysis, the secrets to great script writing expose themselves in a profound and undeniable way. Though there are only three characters, Lot, Myrtle, and Chicken, the script never seems to drag. Formerly known as "The Seven Descents of Myrtle," the play follows Myrtle's indecision when it comes to choosing brain or brawn. Ultimately, we witness the descent of all three characters as selfish decisions are made in the face of death. "Kingdom of Earth" is a very suspenseful classic that is a definite read for any knowledgeable theatre-goers.

If you are a fan of Tennessee Williams, this is the rarest and most difficult to find volumes of his prose. (Yes, the short stories are in the "Collected Stories").
Published in 1966, "Knightly Quest" is the only story included that had not been published previously elsewhere. 'The Knightly Quest' might be considered a novella at 104 pages. 'The Knightly Quest' is an attempt to make a political statement meant to both warn and lampoon big business, the military and the government. But, 'Knightly Quest' has two meanings: it is both a cry to oppose the establishment and a reference to cruising for homosexual sex.
The remaining four short stories had been previously published in magazines or limited editions, but appear here for the first time as part of a New Directions publication. 'Mama's Old Stucco House' deals with race relations between black servants and white employers in the characters of a son and the servant of his dying mother. 'Man Bring This Up Road' is a first attempt at what would later become the play 'The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore' (best remembered as the Taylor/Burton film 'Boom!'). 'The Kingdom of Earth' is a first attempt at what would later become the play 'The Seven Descents of Myrtle'. 'Grand' is a loving autobiographical tribute to Tennessee Williams' grandmother.

simplicity evocative of simple roots and candidly focused as thru a child's perception, masses of color infuse work with enormous strength of statement. composition redolent of A. Wyeth's dynamism,executed with a flatness approaching Braque: an artistic tour de force.