As an author from Appalachian Ohio, I can attest to there being a unique blend of addiction, violence, and crime in those hollers and hills.
My novella, Propitiation., is set in eastern Kentucky and deals with addiction, inherited violence, crime, and spiritual fracture all through the lens of povetry-stricken Appalachia.
Appalachian stories are unique and it feels like they're experiencing a resurgence with presses like Hub City, Regal House's Sour Mash Series, Appalachian Book Co. and novellas like Pineville Trace by Wes Blake.
As a lifelong resident of East KY and a reader, I can't wait to dig into your suggested readings.
I grew up reading Jesse Stuart books and once checked out a book from the library called “The Hollow” by William Surface, an investigative journalistic account of life in a rural, unnamed mountain hollow in Eastern Kentucky during the late 1960s. Which actually annoyed me.
I plan to start putting the stories my grandmother would tell me at night about being a young girl in the ‘20s and becoming a woman in the ‘30s in Appalachia into some short stories once I get my dates correct.
And as far as Justified, yes, I watched the entire series, and as much as I've always enjoyed Olyphant as an actor it was Walt Goggins' character of “Boyd Crowder” that seemed to get our indistinguishable dialect correct. Or maybe I always like to root for the underdog. The same way I liked Kris Kristofferson best in the movie ‘Fire Down Below’ over the hero Steven Seagal.
I hope to see ya’ll at in the town of my college Alma Mater, Morehead in a few weeks.
Now if we're talking music, while yes I love me some Dolly, this region is covered in country and bluegrass singers and songwriters. Just take a drive down US-23 and we can go from the newest like Chris Stapleton (old schoolmate of mine) down the line to Dr. Ralph Stanley whose musical storytelling is some of the best (if you're into bluegrass).
Add on Dwight Yoakam, whose 1987 song "Readin', Writin', Route 23" was explicitly about the struggles of Appalachian families leaving towns like Hazard to find work in the auto plants of Ohio, capturing the exact socioeconomic environment that made many a Michigan and Ohio transplant out of our families growing up.
Some of us went to tell our stories through the written word while many chose to sing about it. So many more out there than just the beautiful Dolly if you're interested.
As a lifelong resident of West Virginia and writer of Appalachian gothic (among many others), I agree with your points here. Appalachian noir is a growing genre. As more works join the canon, we'll gain a better perspective on it.
I’d like to add Elaine Palencia to this mostly-boy list. a true Eastern Kentucky native who writes beautifully on many dark topics.
And Justified irked me because they couldn’t bother to capture the gorgeous local accent.
As an author from Appalachian Ohio, I can attest to there being a unique blend of addiction, violence, and crime in those hollers and hills.
My novella, Propitiation., is set in eastern Kentucky and deals with addiction, inherited violence, crime, and spiritual fracture all through the lens of povetry-stricken Appalachia.
Appalachian stories are unique and it feels like they're experiencing a resurgence with presses like Hub City, Regal House's Sour Mash Series, Appalachian Book Co. and novellas like Pineville Trace by Wes Blake.
I'm trying to do my part with my writing, too.
I read everything Ron Rash writes- I think this gets at a main theme in his writing so well. I enjoy this reading list, too!
Ron Rash is one of my favorite writers. Full stop. He’s so good.
As a lifelong resident of East KY and a reader, I can't wait to dig into your suggested readings.
I grew up reading Jesse Stuart books and once checked out a book from the library called “The Hollow” by William Surface, an investigative journalistic account of life in a rural, unnamed mountain hollow in Eastern Kentucky during the late 1960s. Which actually annoyed me.
I plan to start putting the stories my grandmother would tell me at night about being a young girl in the ‘20s and becoming a woman in the ‘30s in Appalachia into some short stories once I get my dates correct.
And as far as Justified, yes, I watched the entire series, and as much as I've always enjoyed Olyphant as an actor it was Walt Goggins' character of “Boyd Crowder” that seemed to get our indistinguishable dialect correct. Or maybe I always like to root for the underdog. The same way I liked Kris Kristofferson best in the movie ‘Fire Down Below’ over the hero Steven Seagal.
I hope to see ya’ll at in the town of my college Alma Mater, Morehead in a few weeks.
Great read! I’ll be at the Appachian Lit Fest in Morehead, too.
The only good thing to come out of there is Dolly Parton and the Foxfire series.
Now if we're talking music, while yes I love me some Dolly, this region is covered in country and bluegrass singers and songwriters. Just take a drive down US-23 and we can go from the newest like Chris Stapleton (old schoolmate of mine) down the line to Dr. Ralph Stanley whose musical storytelling is some of the best (if you're into bluegrass).
Add on Dwight Yoakam, whose 1987 song "Readin', Writin', Route 23" was explicitly about the struggles of Appalachian families leaving towns like Hazard to find work in the auto plants of Ohio, capturing the exact socioeconomic environment that made many a Michigan and Ohio transplant out of our families growing up.
Some of us went to tell our stories through the written word while many chose to sing about it. So many more out there than just the beautiful Dolly if you're interested.
As a lifelong resident of West Virginia and writer of Appalachian gothic (among many others), I agree with your points here. Appalachian noir is a growing genre. As more works join the canon, we'll gain a better perspective on it.