New Appalachian Books: Write-Ups

NEW APPALACHIAN BOOKS Write-Ups George Brosi Rudy Abramson and Jean Haskell, eds. Encyclopedia ofAppalachia. Knoxville, TN: University of Tennessee Press, 2006. 1832 pages with photographs, illustrations, maps and index. Hardback in dust jacket. $79.95. Truly a monumental achievement with a decade of hard work behind it, this book presents a cast consisting of a veritable "who's who" of Appalachian Studies writing thoughtful short essays about topics which matter intensely to them. What more could you want? Much more than a reference book, it serves as an outstanding introduction to a wide variety of concerns for those who care about the region, ranging from aquatic life to humor to the mine wars. Amanda Adams, Docia Adams, Byrd Adams, Jr. Stories of a Kentucky Mountain Family: As Told by Tivo Sisters and a Brother. North Charleston, SC: BookSurge Publishing, 2005. 326 pages with maps and photos. Trade paperback. $23.99. This book is divided into two parts. The first involves the family stories of Havana Hale Adams and Byrd Adams of Letcher County, Kentucky, who were married in 1924, and their eight children. The second part consists of family stories about their ancestors. Pictures, poetry, drawings and copies of clippings make this a lively, fascinating and illuminating read. This book fits in the category "genealogy" but is on the end of the spectrum towards "social history." Hassan Amjad. Dragonflies of West Virginia. Place of publication unstated but known to be Beckley, WV: self-published, date unstated but known to be 2006. 163 pages with color photographs, glossary, bibliography and index. Oversized trade paperback. $34.99. The brilliant Pakistani physician, Dr. Amjad, ably assisted by his under-acknowledged naturalist wife, Lolita Quezon Amjad, here presents a panoply of gorgeous, full-color photographs and commentary which is not only accessible and useful but also scientifically rigorous. The author and his family have ranged well 100 beyond their home in Beckley to all four bio-geomorphic zones which encompass the state and present a comprehensive picture of this insect throughout West Virginia. Hassan Amjad. Folk Medicine of Appalachia. Place of publication unstated but known to be Beckley, WV: self-published, date unstated but known to be 2006. 340 pages with photographs, bibliography, appendix and index. Oversized trade paperback. $24.99. Dr. Amjad has the ideal physician's ability to break down complex phenomena into easy, accessible steps, and this pays off royally in this fascinating book. The heart of this well-illustrated book is an alphabetical listing of regional medicinal plants followed by an alphabetical listingofailmentstellinghow they are treatedby traditional regional medicine. It even includes a glossary of folk medicine terms. To set the stage, Amjad includes fascinating short essays on a wide range of subjects like, "Where and What is Appalachia?" Hassan Amjad. Life & Times of an Appalachian Herbalist. Place of publication unstated but known to be Beckley, WV: self-published, date unstated but known to be 2005. 75 pages with photographs. Trade paperback. $12.00. This is a book about Clarence Frederick Gray, commonly known as "Mr. Catfish of the Woods," who lived in a cabin on the banks of the Ohio River in Grant County, West Virginia. He was perhaps Appalachia's best known herbalist at the time of his death in 2002. Although the book has many unusually accessible features, the core consists of two annotated lists, one of the herbs that Mr. Catfish used and the other of afflictions and how he treated them. Hassan and Lolita Amjad. Wildfloivers of West Virginia. Place of publication unstated but known to be Beckley, WV: self-published, date unstated but known to be 2005. 87 pages with color photographs. Trade paperback. $29.50. This book simply presents beautiful full-color pictures and brief annotations for 156 West Virginia wildflowers, all arranged in alphabetical order. How nice that for this book Dr. Amjad gives credit to his wife and the mother of his children for her contribution to their work. 101 Yvonne Honeycutt Baldwin. Cora Wilson Stewart and Kentucky's Moonlight Schools: Fighting for Literacy in America. Lexington, KY: The University Press of Kentucky, 2006. 248 pages with notes, photos, index and bibliography. Hardback in dust jacket. $40.00. In 1911, Cora...