John O’Brien was raised in Philadelphia by an Appalachian father who fled the mountains to escape crippling poverty and family tragedy. Years later, with a wi

John O'Brien's deeply evocative book reveals a place and a way of life -- and the lives of an estranged father and son whose differences rest, ironically, in th

In the mountains of western North Carolina, the Civil War was fought on different terms than those found throughout most of the South. Though relatively minor s

Part natural history, part poetry, Mountains of the Heart is full of hidden gems and less traveled parts of the Appalachian Mountains Stretching almost unbroken

Despite the stereotypes and misconceptions surrounding Appalachia, the region has nurtured and inspired some of the nation's finest writers. Featuring dozens of