Appalachian Heart: Oral Histories of the Mountain Elders

Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do withoutIn the western highlands of Virginia, the last generation of mountain people continue to live where their ancestors have lived for hundreds of years. Although they now have the amenities of basic living, such as electricity, telephones, and indoor plumbing, these hearty Appalachian folk remember what life was like before such luxuries.Reminiscent of the ever-popular Foxfire books of the 1970s, Appalachian Heart documents the oral histories of nineteen elders still living in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia who made the above motto the watchword of their lives.Lynn Coffey captures the heart and soul of the hearty Appalachian natives who grew up in isolated hollows, far removed from the modern world and all its demands.Her in-depth interviews quietly dispel the media's inaccurate stereotype of the mountain people and bring to the forefront their resourcefulness, generosity and humor as well as giving the reader a peek into a disappearing and private culture that most are not privy to. Read thoughtfully the words of those who lived in the Blue Ridge Mountains and made quiet history that will never again be replicated. A must-read for those longing for a simpler way of life and a modicum of self-sufficiency