Our Southern Highlanders: Introduction by George Ellison

Our Southern Highlanders by Horace Kephart gave me a new perspective on people who live in the mountains of North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. Though some of Mr. Kephart's views on ethnic groups are clearly out of step with modern sensibility, his depiction of the settlers of our mountain regions gives readers an insightful view of these proud Americans. Furthermore, Mr. Kephart is not pedantic or boring in giving his depictions of mountain folk; but, instructs readers through amusing tales and descriptions.

Kephart's engaging, entertaining style does a terrific job of bringing realism to a heavily stereotyped people; his approach is balanced, illustrating the people's good and not-so-good characteristics with anecdotes (some hilarious) and facts. He provides historical and topological frameworks for the character of mountain people. He lived a bare-bones existence among them for several years and so his narrative is richer--and truer--than that of a drop-in-ask-get-out historian's. The book provides a realistic basis for understanding people of today's mountains, where personal background is often still important.

Kephart delivers the facts as they really were while avoiding any hints of "documentary reading". The story gives many real life events and the reader feels almost as if he's having a conversation with Kephart. A very vivid look into Appalachian life as it really was in the early 1900s.

I love Appalachia history and would rate this as my favorite book on the subject. I hated to see the book end!

Kephart shows the Southern Appalachian Mountaineers as they were, and in some cases, still are. Warts and all. A fair, truthfull account of his experiences while living among us, as well as the historical background for the area. It should be remembered that the book was first published in 1913 and revised in 1922, and while it is not an accurate picture of the mountains of today, if you would understand Appalachia, read this book.