Aunt Arie: A Foxfire Portrait

by Linda Garland Page (Editor), Eliot Wigginton (Editor), Arie Carpenter

Of all the people documented by the Foxfire students since 1966, none has been more appealing to readers than Arie Carpenter. For all those who have read and cherished the Foxfire books, here is a loving portrait of a fondly remembered friend. This book is not just about Aunt Arie; it is Aunt Arie. In her own words, she discusses everything from planting, harvesting, and cooking to her thoughts about religion and her feelings about living alone. Also included are testimonials from many who knew her and a wealth of photographs.

Genres: History, Memoir, Nonfiction

230 pages, Paperback

First published May 25, 1983

Reviews

[Holly Browning · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel so strongly that everyone needs to have met an Aunt Arie. These genuine, God fearing, salt of the earth people are dying off and a whole way of life is gone with the wind. It makes my heart ache. As connected to their land as they were to their God. Aunt Arie and the work of Foxfire is a treasure.

[Tibia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading Aunt Arie is like sitting down with your own grandmother or great-grandmother and asking her all the questions you wanted to know about what her life was like growing up! And, she doesn't hold back. I have enjoyed the whole collection of Foxfire books, having originally come from the Appalachian area. I read Aunt Arie in preparation for a talk I'm preparing on how our mountain ancestors prepared their soil, when they planted, what they planted and gardening "by the signs". I thoroughly enjoyed Aunt Arie, and thank the Foxfire students and teachers for preserving this history for all to enjoy.

[Gidget J.L. Barrett]

Aunt Arie allows readers a peek, not only into what it was like to spend your life from birth to death in the Appalachains, but what it was like to do so as Aunt Arie, a humbling, joyous, loving, and courageous human being. Not someone to be forgotten.

[Kristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even though I live just up the road from the Foxfire museum, I've collaborated with them on projects, and I promote the books all the time, this is the first Foxfire book I've read straight through, and what a treat it was! Everyone should know an Aunt Arie. She made me want to really pay attention to fostering real conversations between the generations in my family- we have so much to learn from and encourage each other!

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book - so much wisdom and life lessons to be gleaned from Aunt Arie. So many of her sayings and mannerisms remind me of my Nana. I love Foxfire and this inspires me to read more. Definitely will view the museum in a different light next time I go!

[Kristin Fuller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading words in your own dialect is a funny thing. Words that don't look like real words on paper flow out naturally and feel like visiting with an old friend.

I love her story of resilience and being content with what the Lord gives you.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this read ...would have loved to have met this remarkable lady . Will think of her often ;-)

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

An endearing portrait of refreshingly forthright simplicity. Well edited and memorable. A fascinating account of life in rural Appalachia.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great visit with Aunt Arie, one of the best stories to come out of this project. I have seen the movie based on her called Foxfire with Hume Cronym and Jessica Tandy.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

like stepping back in time and going home

[Annie Russell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous stories about a woman with more grit than I could ever imagine having! The glimpses into her mountain home and how she lived are invaluable as this lifestyle and way of thinking become ever more scarce in our hurried modern world. This book is amazing.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not the clearest layout for a book nor the best read but when you're dealing with a real person and transcripts I imagine it's hard to "make a story".

Aunt Arie reminded me a great deal of my Great Grandmother. Their lives having touched on many of the same important world events and being shaped by similary circumstances. Thank goodness for Foxfire press and their good works for saving our roots.

[Helen Cargile · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved, loved, loved reading about Aunt Arie. I was born and raised in East Tennessee so I have a great admiration for the people of Appalachia. Aunt Arie's story harkens back to a way of life in our mountains that is all but gone. She lived a hard scrabble existence but it was all she knew. If you want to read about old mountain ways then this is the book for you.

[Dan McCoig · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just loved this book. It painted a picture in my mind of so many reletives of mine from Tennessee and the mountains that have passed on.

[Carrie · Rating 2 out of 5]

My mom and sister loved this book, but I couldn’t even finish it....

[Linda Hartwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

So Enjoyable

I was sad to finish the book. I would have loved to have met her and listen to her stories