A good read for a dark and stormy night (with a nod to Bulwer-Lytton there), or any time you might want a book evocative of one.

Skip Brooks's "Monteith's Mountains: Death Stalks the Southern Appalachians" covers a lot of ground; its range deals with a crucial time in Appalachian history, the development of the logging industry, and multiple individual stories -- stories of self-exploration and self-discovery.

Against the sublime backdrop of the rolling Great Smoky Mountains, themselves a powerful presence throughout the novel, Brooks artfully crafts his tale, seamlessly interweaving history with narrative and bringing to life an era long gone. Long before the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Appalachian mountains were a place where beauty and terror coexisted. The laws of humankind did not apply. It is into this surreal world that Brooks introduces the character of Walker Tom Monteith, a serial killer who hears the voice of Jesus.

Born to Black John Walker, a fiery preacher who had multiple wives and founded his own colony with his extensive family, Walker Tom Monteith was one of his many children. At a young age, Walker Tom experiences a "communion" with Jesus; blessed with what he interprets as a divine connection, Walker Tom proceeds to carry out his bloody path in life. He is a being without conscience, lurking in the darkness and luring his guileless victims towards their demise by preying on their weak human natures.

The other characters in the novel also play integral roles. Two primary characters are Taylor Henry and David Brant. Taylor, a small woman with tremendous business sense and a quest to fulfill her destiny in the Great Smokies, is a major player in the narrative structure. Her love for Brant, a half-Indian on his own spiritual quest -- and fleeing the wrath of Walker Tom after witnessing the latter commit murder -- gives a fairy tale quality to the story. And, as with many fairy tales, the narrative comes full circle in the end. Brant, representing the emerging world that created the Great Smoky Mountains we know and treasure today, is pitted against Walker Tom, a violent symbol of the era when no rules could exist within the mountain world and an individual lived by their own morals and convictions. The novel's ending juxtaposes the two sides to the personality of the Appalachians and leaves the reader with an appreciation of their solemn magnificence as well as the dangers hidden beneath the foliage.

Guaranteed to intrigue, Monteith's Mountains is an interesting sojourn through the Appalachians of a century ago and into the lives of the people who braved to make a life amidst their savage beauty.

Brooks makes his villian/victim as scary as Hannibal Lector and, and if anything, more believable. Walker Tom Monteith is like a wild animal -- beautiful, but dangerous. The background of the southern Appalachians at the beginning of industrialization is almost as scary as the fictional serial killer plot -- and it's real. You understand why the characters act the way they do, but at the end you feel that we've all been lucky to survive.

This is a rather peculiar book, and not at all what I was expecting (which was a guide to slack-packing the Trail with car support). When the authors talk about "car-hiking", their emphasis is on "car", rather than "hiking". What they've done is to visit places where the AT crosses roads (in many places without actually getting out of the car: some of the road crossings they depict don't even have parking available) and take pictures. Not surprisingly, many of the pictures are of freeway overpasses, road signs, and such!

The Appalachian Trail was conceived as "A footpath for those who seek fellowship with the wilderness". This is not what you'll find here: the book deals with the AT at its worst, rather than at its best. The authors didn't try to visit every road crossing, but (somewhat arbitrarily) decided to visit the first and last crossings in each state, major river crossings, Interstate Highway crossings, and a few other "key" places. Why anyone would want to do this, I confess, is something of a mystery to me, but then many of my friends think it's a mystery why anyone should want to hike the Trail. To each his own.

What a novel idea! The AT runs through my town, and I remember watching the guy behind the counter of the local hardware store talking to a young couple who wanted to know how to find the trail so they could take their young children for a short hike on the famous footpath. The shopkeeper was struggling with directions, but "Car-Hiking the AT" would have come to the rescue.

There have to be thousands of us thru-hiker wannabees who don't have the time, the knees, or the freedom to hike the AT that way, but crave a "taste of the AT" that the knowledgeable authors serve up so temptingly. Yes, it dares to mention bridges, highways, and other claptrap of modern human development, but the AT's lofty achievement is to provide us respite from that...and you've got to get to the trail somehow! Clear maps, good descriptions, nice design, and nifty tidbits on local history and more- a great package. Best of all, it's written with personality and a clear love of the trail. This one has earned its place on my bookshelf.

I finally found an Appalachian Trail book which tells non-hikers like me how to find the A.T. Every other book I've found caters to the serious hiker. IT IS MY TRAIL TOO! I want to see what I can of it. And my children want to show this great treasure to my grandchildren. They may hike it someday.
The treasure hunt of finding the A.T. in 74 different places is at least as much fun for me as rugged hiking is for those whose age and lifestyle permit.... And I can still take the short hikes recommended at some locations in the book..
I highly recommend this unique approach to bringing the A.T. and the beautiful world through which it passes into the world of those who can't - or don't wish to - seriously hike it. I am also aware that this way of seeing the trail, which is a trail for all of us, does not materially add to the wear and tear I hear about. -

If you like to hike, but don't like to spend too long in the mountains, this book is for you. Very well thought out and rich in detail, I've found the suggested hikes to be quite accurate in their descriptions, times, etc. One of the hardest things about day hikes is knowing how long it will take, and how you will get started and finished. the authors of this book went to great lenghts to make sure that they give you exactly the kind of information you need. I've hiked about 10 of the trails mentioned in this book, and I loved every mile of them--i even made it back in time for dinner :-)

It was incredible to have somewhere to look that didn't give me 45 day journey's. I found the best trails and the steepest trails right at my fingertips. Because of this book, my husband and I decided to spend our week long vacation hiking the trail instead of day trips in NY, NJ and PA!

As an amateur singer of folksongs, country, and "oldies", I was looking for a book with familiar tunes and lyrics. Although I only recognized a few of Ms. Ritchie's songs, I found the histories of each song very interesting. I took a chance and purchased the book, not sure of what I was getting. What I got was a nice read about the history of song, and a new interest in a person who obviously has a passion!

I love this book because it preserves the rough edges that the music of everday people has. If JR learned the verse to a song that didn't rhyme, she didn't "fix" it. The melodies are often asymmetrical, the ballads often have odd twists to their stories, and the emotion is just pure.

If you're looking for a book of songs for the camp-fire, this may not be it. If you're looking for the real songs of Appalachia, look no further.

These books are very interesting and full of knoweledge from our past history. My relatives were from the deep south especialy around the Roam Mountain area;this is where my grandmother and grandfather were from. This information let me know what they went thru doing their life. The Garlands and The Hughes. Thanks again.Gettysburg,Pa.

If you're interested in how people did things before Wal-mart, you might want to check out Foxfire 6, as well as the rest of the Foxfire series of books (1-10)... These focus on Appalachian living, and how Appalachian folks did things before moderization. These are the only books I know of that truly show you hands on ways to make instruments, locks, dig a well, make toys, and even cook a good meal--- simply. Another good thing is that even though they are very complete, they are actually pretty interesting to read. Most survival-type books are focused on all sorts of weird Armageddon/nuclear war stuff, but these are just records of how life used to be. All in all, a worthy purchase for anyone interested in actually learning something.

Well, I think it's the only book ever written about the AMC's high huts in the White Mountains. And it is quite informative and useful if you plan to do a lot of hut hikes. The maps and short hike info definitely enhanced my hut trip.

But I would rather see something a little less blandly "official" and a little more "behind the scenes." I'd have appreciated more anecdotes about what goes on during those long summer days when the hut crews have spare time. I know that the crews famously play pranks on each other. And surely the advent of "co-ed" crews has resulted in some, eh, hanky panky? If there are such interesting stories, they are not in this book.

My dad and I love to go to AMC huts and this book is my bible. I read it all the time, and bring i t with me when going to huts. Just be warned, if you are hiking on the gulfside trail from Madison Springs Hut to Lakes of the Clouds hut, the book says 4.5 hours. WRONG. The correct time is 9.5 hours.

This is an excellent book for young and old readers alike. I enjoyed it because it showed what people lived like in this century, but left out any inappropriate material. It read like a fiction book, but in reality was a non-fiction written about the authors experiences while living in this remote area. It includes a gun fight, general hardships endured, and facts about everyday life.

This book is a good example of how people really lived in this century. I enjoyed this book because it doesn't contain anything offensive to young readers but does include the excitement of a gun battle, true hardships these people endured, and information on their everyday life. It is told as a non- fiction work, but does carry you along like a fiction book. Excellent for anyone interested in pioneer life or as a compasison to how our life could be. ***I read the original book published in the 1940's not this updated one.

While this book is uplifting, it tends to glorify and whitewash history. I certainly wish life were so gentle and beautiful, like carefully-chosen memories. But life is not. I wish Mr. Venable would have been more realistic, is what I am trying to say. Life WAS hard back then, and backbreaking, and depressing at times, just like life is now. Not everyone dealt with the stressors as well as others. Good times and bad times blended and merged. I enjoyed the read, don't get me wrong. I just prefer more realism and grit, to the misty fogs and dreamy landscapes he projects.

Sam Venable may not be a familliar name to some readers. To those of us who own and treasure his books, he is a trusted guide into the backwoods and hollers of Southern Appalachia. Most of his literature concentrates on his ability to tell a tale, and in this medium he is a modern master in a league with Patrick McMannus or Garison Keelor. However, this book is a departure from some of his other books. In "Mountain Hands", Sam Venable and Paul Efird have produced a labor of love that depicts the hard life, and gentle times of the craftsmen of southern Appalachia. It is an unvarnished and genuine glimpse into the homes and hearts of forty people who keep the embers of mountain craftsmanship glowing. The photographs (Ultra High Quality Black and White), enrich the text with a warmth and charm born of a love of the craft. The subjects are as varied as Doll making, Fly Tying, Grave Digging and Fiddle and Mandolin making. One theme runs true in each and every story, a respectfull and honest glimpse into the craftsman as well as the craft. This is an excellent that can be read chapter by chapter over a period of weeks, or devoured in one sitting as I did.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough, this is one book worth purchasing in hard cover so your children and grandchildren can treasure it as much as I am sure you will.

Cynthia Rylant is a talented and versatile writer who has written for a wide audience ranging from kindergarten to high school. I enjoyed this book immensely, but recommend it for older children (grade 6 and above) especially if used in the classroom. The images, subject matter, and humor, can be appreciated by a more mature audience. Younger children might have a difficult time relating to topics of unrequited love, death of a parent, and coming of age topics in general.(The inside bookflap recommends this book for ages 11 and up and I can see why.) This is not to say that younger children cannot appreciate this book, but as a teacher and a parent, I would recommend this book for middle school and up.

Several years ago I taught third graders, and we read much of Cynthia Rylant's work together. I stumbled across this book, and it turned out to be the most useful resource for my teaching and the most intriguing book for the children. Through the poems we had a glimpse into childhood in small town Appalachia, and the light that this shed on the other books Cynthia Rylant read was talked abut for many months. The poems are specific in their imagery, often funny, and accessible.

I was disappointed with this book. It was very artsy and flowery. I didn't feel that the author gave a good feel of hiking the AT.

When I was 15, my dream was to hike the Appalachain Trail. I grew up in Maine, about 4 hours south of Mt. Katahdin. For Christmas of that year, my mother gave me this book. Christmas afternoon I started reading it and couldn't put it down. Since then I have re-read it about 100 times. It is a book of reference for me; a book that helps me reconnect with my dreams. I wrote a letter to Cindy Ross that year to let her know how touching her book was for me. About a month after I sent the letter I got a card from her, handwritten with a sketch of Mt. Katahdin on the front, which she had drawn. She was so nice to me and even signed my books when I mailed them to her. This is a wonderfully simple story of friendship, nature, looking within yourself for strength, and following your dreams.