Read 'em or Weep
Read 'em or Weep: Booksellers share choice regional titles of 2018 and why they jumped off the page
Justin Souther, bookstore manager, Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe | Asheville
The Illustrated Herbiary: Guidance and Rituals from 36 Bewitching Botanicals
by Maia Toll
“Full of vibrantly colorful illustrations, this is a fun guide by an Asheville author to the more spiritual side of plants.”
Backyard Bears: Conservation, Habitat Changes, and the Rise of Urban Wildlife
by Amy Cherrix
“With an eye towards educating the next generation of citizen scientists, Backyard Bears is a concise and knowledgeable account of urban wildlife in North Carolina.”
The Lemonade Year
by Amy Willoughby-Burle
“While taking on heavy topics like divorce and miscarriage, this Buncombe County resident’s work is nonetheless a light, warm novel about finding oneself.”
Mary Ruthless, owner, Foggy Pine Books | Boone
Southern From Scratch
by Ashley English
“A cookbook, with beautiful pictures and stories from the author’s life, about why cooking Southern food is so important to her.”
What You Are Getting Wrong About Appalachia
by Elizabeth Catte
“In response to J.D. Vance’s Hillbilly Elegy, Catte offers an insider’s perspective on the region, discussing race, class, and gender without engaging harmful stereotypes.”
The Holy Ghost Speakeasy and Revival
by Terry Roberts
“Exploring complex questions about the relationship between religion, morality, and faith, this novel, set in Prohibition-era Appalachia, features a dastardly preacher, a small town sheriff, and a corrupt judge.”
Chris Wilcox, owner, City Lights Bookstore | Sylva
Writing Appalachia: One Year of Essays
by Joshua Wilkey
“This collection of essays by Wilkey, a Whittier resident and Brevard College history instructor, offers a scholarly and personal look into the stereotypes of poverty in Appalachia.”
Gods of Howl Mountain
by Taylor Brown
“Set in the North Carolina mountains, a young man returns from the Korean War and begins hauling moonshine. He is also seeking the truth about the events of the night that left his mother a broken shell of herself.”
The Line That Held Us
by David Joy
“Joy’s third novel displays his immense talent. He deftly crafts a tale about friendship, loyalty, and revenge.”