Their similarities were keen enough to define an archetype of the Appalachian writer at mid-20th century. Their differences were such as to make each a singular talent. Jesse Stuart, James Still, and George Scarbrough knew one another and admired each other’s work. All possessed shared experiences of growing up onContinue Reading
The rolling, rock strewn mountain forests of Southern Appalachia can be a wonderful place to experience the vast wonders of the natural world on a peaceful hike. The region is rich with bounty. Its hills, hollows, and valleys full of wild, edible plants, tasty fruits and berries, wholesome nuts, plentifulContinue Reading
Now my mind was again filled with memories of my mother’s homemade cakes. Boy, they sure were good. I wondered how they all were – my sisters and brothers. I wondered how my father was doing. My father didn’t write much, but he didn’t have to. I knew by nowContinue Reading
When my brother and I were little, we raced to sit in front of the TV to watch cartoons on our three channels. (Five, depending on how you rotated the outdoor antenna.) Whoever sat down first could watch whatever cartoons he or she wanted. This “plan” was doomed, however, whenContinue Reading
Growing up in the 1960s during an era of assassinations, civil unrest, and the war in southeast Asia, at times I wore sadness like a raincoat as a palpable and threatening cloud hung over the nation. My memories of that time recur as a series of stock and binary images: Continue Reading
The causes of World War I are arguable, but its devastating physical and psychological effects on Europe’s home front and battlefield are not debatable. Before the war, no one could have foretold that the events which stemmed mainly from rivalries and alliances1)Sherman, Denis, and Joyce Salisbury. The West inContinue Reading
In honor of Memorial Day, I’m including a second excerpt of my father’s memoirs when he was in the Vietnam War. Thank you to all our service members – to those who fought in the past and to those who still continue to fight. –Delonda Anderson Excerpt Two ItContinue Reading
Highway 27 is a two-lane ribbon connecting Chattanooga and Dayton, Tennessee. It passes through the small, unincorporated township of Sale Creek in northern Hamilton County. The locale takes its name from the creek which runs through it. The creek got its name from the auction held along its banks consistingContinue Reading
I was born with a love for music – a gift from my parents. It runs throughout both sides of my family with music of one kind or another ever-present in our home, on records, tapes, CDs, the radio, or my dad’s singing. As a matter of fact, I inheritedContinue Reading
Please enjoy these Honorable Mentions – the very, very last of this series. **BEST enjoyed in landscape view, if you’re on a smartphone. Chester A. Alexander I found no pictures of Chester Alexander. He was born in Piedmont Alabama, August 7, 1885. Alexander was an ordained minister. He playedContinue Reading