Yesterday's People: Life in Contemporary Appalachia

by Jack E. Weller

This is a book that reveals the fears, anxieties, and hopes that underlie the mountaineers' way of thinking and acting, and thereby shape their relationships in family and community.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, American History

184 pages, Paperback

First published December 31, 1965

Reviews

[Jess]

This book does not present a fair representation of Appalachia or its people. It is just one of a long line of books, essays, and flims that present Appalachia as a "strange place and a peculiar people". It essentializes Weller's biased views that Appalachians were backwards focusing on a few characteristics and presenting them as representative of the entire region. It is filled with well worn stereotypes, and no one should read this book to gain accurate representation of Appalachia in either the 1960s or the present.

[Jan Notzon]

Actually I finished this over a week ago. It's mixed in with the other five books I've read on Appalachia now. It was written by a minister and is a compilation of his observations of the character of the southern highlander.
I found it insightful and it pretty generally squares with the other books I've read on the subject.
I get the feeling from it that there is an inherent assumption that the mountaineer needs to change. While it's certainly true that there is poverty (although there is also affluence) and certain assumptions and habits may be detrimental to their well-being (as who among us has no such habits), if people are happy with their lot in life, then they might very well be way ahead of me!

[Philip Jenks]

If one wants to understand the classist and racialized dimensions of the culture of poverty model and how pervasive it is in affecting American liberalism (and neoliberalism to this day), then turn to this rich text of logical fallacies. This is a classic exercise in tautological reasoning.

One of the worst books ever written.

Analogies are tricky business. This is the cultural equivalent of a rape culture manifesto. Blame the target, blame the victim. What did you do to put yourself here in this weakened social darwinist collapse into thoughtless bigotry and open class hatred. Upon this, the foundations of the Great Society and War on Poverty are built. There are deeply embedded historico-political foundations for rejecting so-called "help". Perhaps I've been too generous to Weller's Oscar Lewis Redux trash. It's worth reading to understand how extermination of cultures is systematized and rationalized through prevailing ideologies.

[Noelle]

Had to read for an Appalachian Studies class. Weller offered a very biased, very stereotyped perspective of Appalachia. He wrote from an outsider's view looking in and it shows in his writing. However, there are some redeemable aspects of this book. It must be taken into account when it was written, but Weller did a fair job of describing mountain life in a somewhat didactic manner. If you overlook the stereotyping...that is.

[Robert J.]

People in Applachia have a more difficult time adapting to modern life than immigrants from other countries

[Jennie]

I appreciated the information but it was written in a judgmental way.

[Jes]

I’ve lived in Appalachian my entire life, which is nearly a span of three decades. Honestly, I felt like the portrayals depicted were largely accurate, though I imagine that is an unpopular opinion. Friends and I have made many observations over the years about topics Weller addresses, like the mentality of survivalism, individualism, and fatalism. Shoot, even on the passage on garbage felt accurate even in 2020. If we want to build a better community, we just reflect on ourselves, our best and worst qualities.

The advent of the Internet is certainly beginning to make a difference and open new doors, but we must look at our core system of beliefs to truly benefit on the whole.

[Lucy Briggs]

Published in 1965, it reads as many stereotypes of the "Mountaineer". Although times have changed, I found many of Weller's insights helpful.

[Kathy Kaylor]

This book actually helped me understand my own family.

[Selena]

Very interesting look into the Appalachian culture...read while in the NC mountains this weekend!

[John]

Of little interest for me. I like reading about Appalacian history and life but not this book

[J T]

Judgmental, but well written. Some junk sociology at work. Would have been better with more anecdotes, data, and an explication of how the author gained all these insights. He lived where?