The Gift of a Good Read New Books with Local & State Flavor Hit Shelves By Jeff Eason In the next few weeks most of us will be hitting the stores in search of that perfect gift that the recipient will cherish for many years to come. The High Country has become known for its specialty shops where shoppers can find items with a certain mountain charm and local character. While you’re searching for gifts, don’t forget about books with a local flavor. This year a number of fine books were published that would be a hit under any decorated Fraser Fir. Here’s a sampling of some of the great new titles with a local, state or regional slant: The Harvest by Scott Nicholson High Country author Scott Nicholson made his mark in the suspense/horror/gothic genre with the inspired novel The Red Church. Nicholson continues to utilize the area as a backdrop for his work with his latest book, The Harvest. Blending elements of Clive Barker, Stephen King and H.P. Lovecraft, The Harvest tells of woman psychologist named Tamara Leon who has visions that she calls “gloomies.” Through this visionary ability she can tell that something evil is coming to her town of Windshake…something that will rock the community to its core and alter the lives of everyone around her. Published by Kensington Books, The Harvest is available at local bookstores in paperback for $5.99. For more information, visit the publisher’s website at www.kensingtonbooks.com. Bearskin to Holly Fork: Stories from Appalachia by Bob Sloan Sloan, a short story writer from Midland, Kentucky, has brought his entire community to life for the rest of the world in his new collection of tales. Most of the stories are contemporary but there is a distinct connection that the people of Midland have with the past and their ancestors that keeps them from quite keeping up with the rest of the planet. Sloan’s characters are rough-hewn men and women who have long ago abandoned romantic notions about the lives their were born to lead. His ear for dialogue is among the best in the business and you can almost smell the smoky air of Midland while reading his stories. Before publishing Bearskin to Holly Fork, Sloan published his short fiction in periodicals such as Appalachian Heritage, Potpurri, and Buffalo Spree. His commentaries have been aired on Kentucky Public Radio stations and featured on NPR’s Morning Edition. Bearskin to Holly Fork is available at bookstores and through the publisher at: Wind Publications, 600 Overbrook Drive, Nicholasville, KY 40356. For information, email info@windpub.com. Rural Roots of Bluegrass by Wayne Erbsen Produced by the fine folks of Native Ground Publishers in Asheville, Rural Roots of Bluegrass is an essential primer for both casual listener or serious student of the genre. The book can be purchased with or without a companion CD featuring songs “Dig a Hole in the Meadow” and “Little Rosewood Casket” performed by author/musician Erbsen and MerleFest favorite Laura Boosinger. The book features stories and photographs relating to the long history of bluegrass in the mountains of North Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia and Tennessee. One of the highlights of the book is a multitude of lyrics and chord charts for bluegrass chestnuts such as “Leather Britches,” “John Hardy” and “Johnson Boys.” Erbsen, a musician and banjo instruction manual author for over two decades, is obviously in love with the music and his research into its origins is impeccable. The book has lots of local connections like its detailed biography of banjo picker Doc Walsh, a Wilkes County native who is thought to be one of the earliest musicians to record the unique “rolling” three-finger picking style when he laid down four tracks for Frank Walker in Atlanta in 1925. With its emphasis on easy music theory and recurring chord progressions, Rural Roots of Bluegrass is a must have for any musician thinking about playing some traditional mountain music. Rural Roots of Bluegrass: Songs, Stories & History is available—along with its companion CD—through Native Ground Music of Asheville. For more information, call 1-800-725-2656. You can also contact the publishers online at www.nativeground.com. The Face of Appalachia: Portraits from the Mountain Farm by Tim Barnwell Tim Barnwell is a commercial and fine art photographer who has worked in Asheville for the past quarter century. When he turns his lens toward the rural people working on farms in the Blue Ridge Mountains, the result is a magnificent tour through the lives and land of an area that has changed little in the last 100 years. His black and white photographs are rich with character, tone and composition. They would make Ansel Adams proud. The photos were taken from the mid-70s to the present and each one is tied to a short essay in the back of the book. Essential for lovers of Appalachian history or photography. Tim Barnwell’s The Face of Appalachia: Portraits from the Mountain Farm is available at area bookstores with a suggested list price of $29.95. It is also available through the publisher, W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110. For more information, visit the publisher’s website at www.wwnorton.com. The North Carolina State Fair: The First 150 Years With an annual attendance of 700,000 visitors, the North Carolina State Fair is the state’s largest event and one of the largest agricultural fairs in the country. Its history is lovingly told in this magnificent tome written by educator Melton McLaurin. The fair’s 150-year history mirrors that of the state in general. The fair was a segregated event until World War II and African Americans held their own “North Carolina Negro State Fair” for many years. In addition to all of the agricultural events, the fair has been a showcase for racecar drivers, musicians and entertainers, all held in a carnival atmosphere. The book shows the futuristic looking Dorton Arena when it was first completed fifty years ago, the famous Village of Yesteryear, and the manmade Waterfall that became an instantly recognizable landmark (“We’ll meet Daddy and Momma back here at the Waterfall at 2 p.m.”). McLaurin has done an excellent job researching his subject and the book is filled with quality photographs and drawings from the 19th century. The book is recent enough to include an epilogue telling of the resignation of Meg Scott Phipps as commissioner of the NC Department of Agriculture due to a campaign finance scandal involving firms wishing run the concessions and rides at the state fair. As far as entertaining coffee table books go, The North Carolina State Fair is one that will provoke fond memories from anyone who has attended the fair and will inspire those who haven’t to make plans to travel to Raleigh next October! Melton A. McLaurin’s The North Carolina State Fair: The First 150 Years is available for $25 at select bookstores and through the Historical Publications Section, Office of Archives and History, 4622 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-4622. Visit their website at www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/selections/hp . Images of America: Boone Local author Donna Akers Warmuth hit a homerun with her new book based on old photographs of Boone and its surrounding communities. She had previously written a similar book based on her hometown of Abingdon, Virginia and is currently working on an upcoming book based on pictures of Blowing Rock. Lovers of local history, architecture and fashion have spent hours poring over the book looking at photographs of our mountain town as it has grown from a small community to a thriving college and tourist city. Donna Akers Warmuth’s Images of America: Boone is available at bookstores and gift stores throughout the High Country and is available in paperback for $19.95.