Alex Stewart: Portrait of a Pioneer

by John Rice Irwin

In his own words, this is the story of Alex Stewart, a remarkable Tennessee mountain character whose life epitomizes the pioneer development in America. 

Alex Stewart was a recipient of a National Heritage Fellowship Award in 1983 by the National Endowment for the Arts in Washington which recognized him as a living national treasure. Over a twenty-year period of friendship, the author developed a profound respect and great love for Alex Stewart, a truly remarkable Tennessee mountain character. The best of hundreds of hours of recorded conversations with Stewart are compiled into a moving portrait of this cooper, father of 13, farmer, logger, railroad man, and do-it-yourself interpreter of his rugged homeland. Through his own account of the people around him, Alex describes his rural life in the late 19th and 20th centuries through stories such as when he was bit by a rabid dog, when neighbor children begged for food, or how people gathered honey and made marbles, moonshine, or furniture. Throughout his 94 years, Alex, who died in 1985, depended upon his own good sense to direct him and it led him through a rich and fascinating life. This book is a genuine labor of love.

Genres: Nonfiction

298 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1985

Reviews

[John Scroggins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book about 20 yrs ago when I was 11 or 12 and I still have memories of his stories needless to say this book made a big impact on me and was the first real book I remember reading I recently bought a copy and at some point I plan to reread it. it was a really neat book to me as a kid and id like to see how some of his stories resonate with me now as a adult. tl.dr this is a perfect book that i would recommend to anyone!

[Shary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating. Written primarily in interview style, the life of this Appalachian pioneer was amazing. What he did, with so little, and with so much spirit and perseverance is amazing. The pioneer living in the 1900's in Appalachia should make us all feel coddled. If only we all had Alex Stewart's work ethic, abilities and memory.

[June · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alex Stewart was an incredible man who lived an incredible life. His story of what many would consider a meager life inspired me to look at the world as it is, and my life, in an entirely different way. Mr. Stewart was apparently a master of many crafts and a wise philosopher. I'm pretty sure planet earth is richer for his having lived.

[Jesse Cooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

A few minutes ago, I finished reading this book. I was sitting alone outside, surrounded by the sounds of birds and in the distance, noises consistent with bustling town activity on a Friday afternoon. The final chapter had me in tears more than once, culminating in a flood of activity on the final page. The author, John Rice Irwin, reflected and summarized his feelings of the man about whom the book was written in an intense description of the funeral and final moments with the family and Alex’s body, saying goodbye.
Throughout the book, the reader learns intimate details about the rigorous and unforgiving life of a man considered one of the last true members of the pioneer age. Alex was born and raised in and around Panther Ridge, a portion of America that to this day remains one of the poorest in the country. As such, citizens of this area lived and died with few, if any of the modern conveniences that most of the rest of the country takes for granted.
John Rice Irwin, over two decades of visits and interviews, traverses the memories of Alex Stewart and relives the wild - sometimes painful - experiences of a man through rich, folksy descriptions and an ironclad eye for detail. Alex is honest, jovial, and undeniably intelligent, relaying stories that draw the reader in and build a wonderful portrayal of his colorful life.
John Rice Irwin phenomenally mixes Alex’s practical advice with humorous or heart-wrenching stories, and accurately captures the essence of a man who lived over nine decades. The topics are just as vast as the timespan in which Alex lived, ranging from natural medicinal advice to architectural engineering, appropriately blended with stories that the reader will be unable to put down. I recommend this book to everyone. The flow of the writing very closely matches natural conversational dialogue, so that even traditionally “boring” topics have a fresh, new color, keeping the reader’s interest through every page.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

A simple interview-style book about a simple brilliant man. Love the vernacular, such as "turkles" for turtles.

"Alex valued his friends, his neighbors, and his relatives most. He cared little about publicity and therefore paid little or no attention to television or movie cameras. It never occurred to him to try and present himself in any kind of special way - to be anything other than himself. He summed it up pretty well when he said: 'I never did believe in getting all diked up just because company was coming over. A terrapin wears the same hull all his life.'"

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating. Full of facts and probably some tall tales, but an incredibly informative book about life in rural Appalachia in the first half of the 20th century.
So much information in a Q&A format, but without feeling dry.

[Nicole Northrup · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic first-hand biography/history!

[Big-Gassy Downey-Syndrome · Rating 2 out of 5]

I hate this book

[SusanCope · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a most amazing book about a man born in 1891 and raised in the poorest part of TN mountains. He gives a great description of how hard times were then, before there were even matches to start a fire. Some families did not own so much as a pan; and large families lived in a single room hut. Alex was very hard-working and creative. He walked up to 50 miles to work at times and slept outdoors at the job site. He became the only "health care worker" of his neighborhood at one time, gathering herbs. My own grandfather was born in 1873 in North Dakota, so I found this all fascinating.

[Helen Cargile · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to have met Alex Stewart on several occasions. He was sharp as a tack and as talented a cooper as you could ever want to know. He was also a bit of a flirt. If you are at all interested in Appalachian people or folkways, or if you just like to read about unforgettable people, then you will really enjoy this book. It is very well written and his story will make a lasting impression on you.

[Tahra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was written about my husband's great-grandfather so of course I think it is wonderful! It tells a lot about other members of the family and about life on Newman's Ridge in Hancock Co, TN.