As the title suggests, this book is about the history of the area surrounding Windrock Mountain, Tennessee, beginning with the earliest non-native settlers in the late 1700's. For the most part, the book is structured like a tour of the main route around the mountain. The book is partly based on a series of articles by the author when she was a writer for the Oak Ridger Newspaper until 1970. Her original contribution is documenting her interviews of, and tours with, descendents of early settlers. She also presents information from older newspaper articles and other sources, and the old pictures included in the book are a treat. The book is good reading for someone who is interested in the history of this relatively remote area. The area is only a short distance from Oak Ridge, the Atomic City. It previously supported thousands of farmers and coal miners and their families, and is now home to three 200+ feet tall TVA windmills on Buffalo Mountain (next to Windrock Mountain).

I took the class Death and Dying with Dr. Crissman, the author of this book, and it is really informational. The details that he presents in this book are vivid. Though the pictures are not of the best quality, this is understandable because they are from the early part of the century. The research that he performed for this book allows for the inclusion of information that normally would not find its way into a text book. Don't get me wrong, this is not written in a traditional text format, but there is enough factual information in it that allows for it to be used as such or as a recreational reading book. I would recommend this book if you are interested in the various rituals that have been performed in the past in association with death and the meaning behind those rituals.

For students of the Southern mountain rifle as well as Appalachian lore, this book is a must. What is so amazing is how these plain, but entirely serviceable rifles were made under such primitive conditions. The chapter on cross bows and how they were made gives the reader an idea of the extreme poverty that these folk lived in. I also found the chapter on Hacker Martin, a 20th century maker of these guns to be entertaining and informative. Being a collector and muzzleloading shooter, I certainly appreciated what John R. Irwin has done with the subject

Progressing from his study of slaveholding in Western North Carolina (Mountain Masters) and other explorations of Southern Appalachian History, John Inscoe has teamed up with Gordon B. McKinney, the editor of the microfilm version of the Zebulon B. Vance Papers and author of Southern Mountain Republicans to produce the first scholarly synthesis of the Civil War in Western North Carolina. The book breaks new ground in relying on the scholarship of the past twenty years to revise the portrait of a part of North Carolina that was considered to be staunchly Unionist. It explores mountaineers attitudes toward slavery, secession, and the war in general in very broad strokes; these insights are fleshed out with details from specific locales. From the historian's point of view, the authors have not met the rigorous burden of proof in many cases, choosing to base their conclusions on just one or two primary sources; in some cases, they are forced to draw from examples outside of the region (such as Tennessee) which would fail to satisfy the most demanding of those who want conclusive evidence. However, the book is a wonderful tale and in many cases shows the myriad of responses to what has been described as the most influential historical event in United States History.

I really enjoyed this book and it was an easy read. I would highly recommend it to people who enjoy Southern Literature of the United States. It is one of the most refreshing books in its genre and comes highly recommended by Booklist, Kirkus REview and the New York Times Book Review List.
Four stars!

I enjoyed this supplement as I live in the area. I specifically enjoyed the segment dealing with my Alma Mater's community of Berea, KY. The book managed to catch the flavor of several communities in Eastern KY, Eastern TN, and the surrounding area. The mountain communities have rich traditions which would appeal to many of the changing breed, kith, and some Mage Traditions. What I did not like were some of the insinuations that the area's pre-dispositon for "inbreeding" would make it perfect for a BSD hive. Oh well, I guess a few stereotypes are necessary.

I don't get the feeling McCoy has actually tried a lot of the things she writes about here. A similar Llewellyn offering, Silver Ravenwolf's HexCraft/American Folk Magic, was, at least, based partly on the author's own experiences using the methods described in the book; McCoy, on the other hand, appears to have written a long research paper presented in a pretty cover.

There isn't much in here that can't be found in other sources. Vance Randolph's Ozark Mountain Magic and Folklore [title?] is more interesting and was all collected firsthand from mountain people living in the 1930s and 40s. I suggest that those who are interested in American folk magic pick that one up instead, or take a look at Ravenwolf's book. This one is pretty much just a collection of secondhand material.

This book is a great introduction to Appalachian folklore from a witch's perspective, however as a book on useful magic it falls a little short. The author's attitude seems best conveyed with the paraphrased quote "when i decided to write a book on appalachia, i had no idea i'd have to dig through dozens of rare or out of print books," Indeed, with just a little effort, more practical magic can be dug up from the region, which the author didn't even visit to write this book. Furthermore, i was especially disapointed by the chapter on "death, dying, and haints" in relation to the original title of this book _In a Graveyard at Midnight_ (but then i own a newer edition and perhaps info was taken out when they changed the title?). The book _Albion's Seed_ does a better job of showing appalachia's cultural roots in scotland and northern england. Still, i have to give _Mountain Magic_ 3 stars because of McCoy's treatment of the Appalachian region and it's people.(of whom, i count myself to be among) Though she does romanticize the area's celtic roots a bit, she definately portrays the settlers of past and present in a good light, does alot to dispell mythes about hillbillies, and explains exactly why the mountains are the way they are. Most importantly of all, however, she raises a very good point, even if she doesn't elaborate on it too well, that one does not need to look to ireland or the brittish isles to find magic, or even celtic and anglo-saxon culture, but that perhaps the best place to look for these things is in our roots right here beneath our American feet.

Edain McCoy, a descent of the famous Kentucky family who feuded with the Hatfields, is an alumna of the University of Texas and studied for her graduate degree in Cultural History at Indiana University. She is the author of several reference books on Pagan and spiritual subjects and is also a practicing Wiccan.

She knows her subject well.

Appalachia was first populated by the Cherokee Indians, then came the Spanish explorers, and much later the English, Scots and Irish, many of them bringing with them the stern religious teachings of their native lands mingled with a sprinkling of pre-Christian Celtic beliefs.

McCoy's Mountain Magick paints a relevant picture of the folk beliefs still found in parts of Appalachia, and it is written with humor and compassion. It is a valuable record of the old ways and the wisdom from a part of the country modern times has, for the most part, passed by.

Here you will learn the signs the country people use to predict weather and garden; spells for love and self-protection and simple remedies still used in this land where doctors are too few and not always trusted. McCoy also includes magical spells to aid in fertility and divination, recipes used and other insightful information about the area and the unique people who live here.

Mountain Magick is a valuable resource for anyone interested in learning about Appalachia and its people.

As a college student from Appalachia writing about my area, I found a suprising lack of contemporary research and writing on Appalachia, even in my Ivy League college's library. Yesterday's People, although written in 1980, uses books from the late 1800s and early 1900s for some of its sources. Comments include things like, "raised in a society of so much 'known', there is little stimulation--there is no desire or skill for meeting the new and different." and "Childhood seems to be only a waiting period until adulthood is attained, adolescence is in many ways the high point of life." While some of the sterotypes Weller speaks of in this book are generally true, I feel that there are too many misinformed opinions for this book to be of much worth. It is dangerous for this book to be an "outsider's" only source of knowledge on the beautiful and rich culture of Appalachia.

Weller's book does an excellent job of portraying the subtleties, and sometimes things not so subtle, of the culture of West Virginia and of a large part of the rest of southern Appalachia. West Virginia is the only state almost entirely lying within Appalachia so it is a good representation of the region. All the other states in the region are no more than about one-third in Appalachia. The anecdotes about reactions to events ring true and are very revealing. As a native West Virginian I got new insights into the culture from which I came.

This is one of the finest books of its' genre. Applalacian poor whites are for the most part a secretive and difficult people. Their mores and folkways are a puzzle for some and unrecognised by most. This author has furnished a touchstone upon which everyone from social workers to public defenders can gain insight. The book was first recommended to me by a superintendant of a correctional institution after a particularly senseless and brutal murder involving an number of this type of individuals. Since then, I have bought several copies of this book, loaned them out and none have been returned.

I always spend my lunch break, at work, reading fiction novels. I can partially gauge how much I enjoyed each book by how often I have to work late, making up the time I lost when I couldn't stop reading. While I was reading my latest acquisition, Icy Sparks, I had to work late a lot.

I was pulled into Icy Sparks immediately by the interesting prose and became completely immersed during the sequences when Icy would struggle to control the outbursts brought on by her disorder. The excellent narration of these events is fluid and believable.

Although the narrative is excellent, a well-crafted plot is what makes Gwyn Rubio's first published novel outstanding. The novel describes the universal plight of a young girl trying to understand the differences which set her apart from her peers. The plot unfolds in a natural way, with Icy, a victim of Tourette Syndrome, trying to come to terms with her undiagnosed condition. Her search for acceptance and understanding culminates in a beautifully written scene which is charged with emotion.

I enjoyed this book immensely.

Gwyn Hyman Rubio's "Icy Sparks" is an exceptional book. She has created an unforgettable character in Icy -- a young girl suffering from Tourette's syndrome. Set in rural Kentucky during the late 1950s and early 1960s, the reader is consistently challenged to question their response to the incidents and situations that occur in this novel.

The book is so rich in detail that the reader is often left feeling as though they have actually witnessed one of Icy's outbursts. The question is -- from which point of view? One of Gwyn Hyman Rubio's strongest assets is her ability to convey the shock and horror of those around Icy as she "jerks" and "croaks," while at the same time describe Icy's self-hatred of the inablity to control her body.

In the end, this book is not simply about Tourrette's syndrome. It is about human igonrance, fear and tolerance. I would highly recommend it to anyone.

I enjoyed reading this book, because I learned about a subject I knew nothing about before. This is a wonderful coming of age novel set in rural Kentucky in the 1950's. The main character is an orphan named Icy Sparks. She suffers from Tourette's syndrome which causes her body to jerk involuntarily. Tourettes also causes Icy to repeat curse words uncontrollably. This condition leads to much embarassment at school in her early years. She is teased and shunned by her classmates. Icy spends some time in a mental hospital upon the suggestion of her school principal and grandparents. She makes friends with other disabled people there. She also learns new ways to deal with her disorder during her stay. Miss Emily is a compassionate fat woman. She is Icy's best friend throughout the book. I loved the relationship between these two characters. She teaches Icy her academic subjects and about life too. I loved the ending of the book. It is so touching when Icy finally finds her gift. I highly recommend Icy Sparks.

The author, strangely for an expert, does not present a coherent vision of the history of the area. Little nuggets of information are strung along, as if he has cut-and-pasted this history together, without any real mastery of the subject. The pace is consequently choppy, as bits and pieces are seemingly added as they occur to him, without plan. The space allotted to each topic is equally random. It is possible that these problems have their roots in his straining to be seen as a revisionist historian, tidying up the history of Appalachia for the tastes and prejudices of 21st-century readers. The choppiness allows for suspicious omissions or digressions. This makes him appear to be an unreliable, uncertain source of information about the region. The editing makes the book seem even more unreliable. Quotations are not cited, and what sort of editor lets through the use of "of course" multiple times on a single page?

A HISTORY OF APPALACHIA is a well-written, history of Appalachia. The introduction notes that "....there are those who reserve as Appalachia only those areas of the Southern Appalachians that are 'real mountains." The author's definition is broader including "all of the provinces of the Southern Appalachian" and extends to western Pennsylvania.

The book is organized in three parts. Part 1, titled THE CONTEST FOR APPALACHIA, covers the period from the Indians through the American Revolution. The author writes "The principal class who migrated to America after 1715 were mostly folk who shared a....desire for land to support their basically simple lives." These migrants passed through the coastal area and settled in the backwoods where small acreages were cleared and became basically a predominately yeoman (farm) economy.

Part 2, THE NEW NATION AND THE APPALACHIAN BACKWOODS, covers the period through the Civil War. While Appalachia supported the Revolution, they had no representation at the constitutional debates of 1787-1789. "By 1800 quite a different European-derived society had developed along the Appalachian frontier" and the author notes that a "snug little rivalry" developed between the east and west sections of the eastern states. Appalachia supported the War of 1812 when loyalty soared in the Appalachian backwoods but divisive issues would soon appear.

The text notes "most small farmers in East Tennessee, northern Georgia, West Virginia and eastern Kentucky usually identified more strongly with the....Union." These areas were often identified with the Radical Republican during Reconstruction.; however, by 1876 the ex-Confederates had again assumed control. The text briefly discusses the feuds of the era noting many were active "before the Civil War."

The author notes that after the Civil War in the remoteness of mountain regions far from adequate transportation ", a remarkable similar way of life developed in Appalachia's most isolated sections" which resulted in increased isolation reinforcing a stereotype about a 'strange and peculiar people."

MODERN APPALACHIA, Part 3, narrates the period from Post-Reconstruction to the year 2000 covering the Industrial Revolution, the Depression, the War on Poverty, and finally the dawning of the Information Age. As the text notes "Appalachia has always been a complex area." From "1865 to 1920, Appalachia was discovered" and defined "by literate America who were northern writers. The picture that emerged was often grossly inaccurate, based on stereotype and self-serving characteristics." For example, "....the word hillbilly did not appear until 1900 when a New York Journal reporter defined such people as 'free and untrammelled white' citizens living in the hills' with 'no means to speak of, 'who dresses as he can,'drinks whiskey, and fires off his revolver as fancy takes him."

During the machine age the mineral exploitation of the area took place and in many areas of the Great Valley significant industrial developments followed the railroads with an area like the Kanawha Valley in West Virginia becoming what was called "the American Ruhr. "By 1900 all the coalfields in West Virginia....were in full production." Lumbering also became an important Appalachian industry.

Tourism was another commercial activity that invaded the cultural traditional of Appalachian society, aided by the development of the National Forests of Appalachia and the emergence of The Great Smoky Mountain National Park.. However, the exploitation of region's fossil fuels was the major industrial invasion.

The author states that Appalachia went from a plutocracy to the Welfare State and back again to the present governing by the rich and powerful. With the collapse of the country's market system during the Depression new life came into the yeoman system of self-sufficient agriculture. "Because of the great economic maladjustments in Appalachia's major industries....large numbers of people were able to qualify for welfare benefits"....with the nations welfare system growing out of New Deal reform measurers. The War on Poverty, 1964 to 1968, resulted in 1965 of the formation of the Appalachian Regional Commission which remains active today benefiting the region. Regarding welfare reform, the author makes the interesting observation that "Even yet in Appalachia, it may be that the only reform that can succeed must be seen through the lens of yeomanry."

The text notes "...the region's society is far more diversified than the traditional picture painted as a stable enclave of Anglo-Saxon, Scotch-Irish, and Germans." The 1930s and WWII brought important changes to the Appalachian culture. During WWII, there was a mass migration of Appalachians north for employment. Also, there was the wartime industrial growth in Appalachian fossil fuel extraction and the development of the chemical industry in West Virginia. Unfortunately, the text notes "The regional picture in Appalachia since the 1980s has been generally gloomy."

Chapter 13 discusses the Appalachian Mind noting that "....the area began to find its own scholarly voice soon after World War II" and states this scholarship betrays a strong anger against American corporate capitalism and "....attests to the kind of tragic picture that Appalachian history presents."

The final chapter discusses the future of Appalachia noting "As coal and agriculture,...., move into further decline, the essentially insatiable industries of education, health services, recreation, and tourism will provide the major job opportunities in the future." Regarding the future, the text concludes " There is, and in fact has always been, a place for a viable, yeomanesque-style of life that is attractive to those unwilling or unable to join the mainstream's affluence." Shades of today's politician's statements about "the family farm."

The Source listing for this book is excellent. Instead of a long alphabetical and/or type listing of sources, sources are listed separately for each chapter so that the reader can determine the author's sources plus read in further depth if desired.

The only technical error I noted is on page 200 where the author stated that the nuclear fuel for the atomic bombs was processed "At its vast Centrifugal Plant, Oak Ridge...." The fuel for these bombs was processed at the Oak Gaseous Diffusion Plant NOT at a Centrifugal Plant. An Oak Ridge Centrifugal test loop wasn't built until the 1970s