I bought this book in paperback in a used book store a number of years ago and read it, thought it was great. When I found in in hardback later, I bought it again because I liked it so much I wanted to own it in hardback. It was one of those rare books that makes me say "That's why I want to be a writer." I said to myself at the time I was going to write the author a letter and tell him how much I liked it, but I never did. So this review is sort of saying it. Good job. A quiet, but very moving book. I read his two Viet Nam books later and thought they were also good. He should be more recognized than he is. I have him on my shelf of favorite modern authors along with Andre Dubus, Russell Banks, James Alan McPherson, Richard Ford (Rock Springs) and Richard Yates.

This book was written in a small town five minutes from where I live. She teaches at a middle school there. Melvin, the main character, gets wonderlust and decides to leave his home for a while. He meets these tiny people who grow wonderful melons he's never seen before. This is a great book that small children will love forever.

I thought that this was an excellent book that listed many of the important F&I sites(and a lot of the minor ones too).He puts a face on the people who were involved in this great "War for Empire".

Kept me laughing all weekend. Lots of stories, even lectures, besides the jokes--all with the regional twist.

The very best of mountain foods with excellent bibliography

I stumbled upon this at the university library among other historical cookbooks. The recipes are appealing and so is the writing. It's a real gem and I'm glad it's still in print.

Motorcycle Journeys Through The Applalachins is a must have book for anyone who lives near the area and loves to travel by cycle.

Dale offers "real life" experiences and recommends great roads and interesting information. The book is a valuable tool for anyone who wants to tour the area. It also is a great "winter read" to plan your next trip.

This is a book you can hear...the interviews with people who live in western North Carolina are so well done that as you read you can hear the people speaking. This book covers many topics from farming to history. A good cross section of people gives the reader the opportunity to read different opinions on the varied topics. The book is filled with excellent photograhs. Especially interesting are photographs of most of the people interviewed in the book. Putting faces with the 'voices' is a real treat! The reader gets a good overview of the history of the area and insights into often ignored aspects of the culture of this georgous part of the US. This book is a good research tool for anyone learning about the area and it is entertaining reading as well. I love it!

This turns out to be an outstanding book and I'm very happy to have it. The text is pleasant to read, written in a friendly and personal way. The pictures are crisp and beautiful, and laid out nicely alongside the text for easy access while reading the description. One outstanding feature is the detailed habitat information based on the author's years of field experience in observing the habitats of each of these orchids. Another stand-out is that the author has done the photography himself, resulting in pictures that support and complement the text very well. I checked several books on orchids and wildflowers while trying to identify an orchid in my forest (which turns out to be a lily-leaved twayblade), and I found this book to be the best. In summary, I'm impressed with this book. I hope it will set a new standard for other books on regional wildflowers.

Old Dry Frye is a hilarious tall tale that everyone mustread. This book is all about Old Dry Frye and his love for friedchicken, and how he will alwys show up at your house is he smellsfried chicken but suddenly something happens that changes everything. This book is a must read!