What do you think?
Rate this book
A History of Appalachia
The Appalachian region, extending from Alabama in the South up to the Allegheny highlands of Pennsylvania, has historically been characterized by its largely rural populations, rich natural resources that have fueled industry in other parts of the country, and the strong and wild, undeveloped land. This land has always profoundly influenced the development of its people. The rugged geography of the region allowed Native American societies, especially the Cherokee, to flourish. Early white settlers tended to favor a self-sufficient approach to farming, contrary to the land grabbing and plantation building going on elsewhere in the South. The growth of a market economy and competition from other agricultural areas of the country sparked an economic decline of the region’s rural population at least as early as 1830. The Civil War and the sometimes hostile legislation of Reconstruction made life even more difficult for rural Appalachians. Recent history of the region is marked by the corporate exploitation of fossil fuel resources. Regional oil, gas, and coal had attracted some industry even before the Civil War, but the postwar years saw an immense expansion of American industry, nearly all of which relied heavily on Appalachian fossil fuels, particularly coal. What was initially a boon to the region eventually brought financial disaster to many mountain people as unsafe working conditions and strip mining ravaged the land and its inhabitants. A History of Appalachia also examines pockets of urbanization in Appalachia. Chemical, textile, and other industries have encouraged the development of urban areas. At the same time, radio, television, and the internet provide residents direct links to cultures from all over the world. The author looks at the process of urbanization as it belies commonly held notions about the region’s rural character. For more than twenty years historians have expressed the critical need for a single-volume history of Appalachia. Richard Drake has skillfully woven together the various strands of the Appalachian experience into a sweeping whole. Touching upon folk traditions, health care, the environment, higher education, the role of blacks and women, and much more, Drake offers a compelling social history of a unique American region.
292 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2001
24 people are currently reading
150 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
February 11, 2019
I have an exceptionally soft spot in my heart for Appalachia. My mom was raised in a very Appalachian home in eastern Tennessee, and I graduated from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. While it is sometimes a nebulous topic, as well as geographical area, I have always appreciated everything I learned about the region.
Richard Drake's book is extremely well-researched and thorough. He starts with the very history of the United States, which is indeed the history of Appalachia too. This expansive story gave an excellent view of the Appalachian people and tradition, as well as gave rationale behind the "Appalachian Mind."
I gave this book three stars because, at times, I think that it diverges a little bit. Particularly, there are digressions around literature from Appalachia, as well as at the end when discussing the economics and improvement of the region. Despite this, these aspects helped to fully flesh out the region, as well as provide some hope and positivity to an area that is so commonly associated with negative stereotypes. I learned a great deal from this book.
Richard Drake's book is extremely well-researched and thorough. He starts with the very history of the United States, which is indeed the history of Appalachia too. This expansive story gave an excellent view of the Appalachian people and tradition, as well as gave rationale behind the "Appalachian Mind."
I gave this book three stars because, at times, I think that it diverges a little bit. Particularly, there are digressions around literature from Appalachia, as well as at the end when discussing the economics and improvement of the region. Despite this, these aspects helped to fully flesh out the region, as well as provide some hope and positivity to an area that is so commonly associated with negative stereotypes. I learned a great deal from this book.
July 8, 2021
2.5 only because I actually learned some things.
TL;DR: i learned a lot, but it was like pullin teeth, or doin a puzzle without the picture. Reading this book was exhausting. It was scatter-brained, poorely organized, and practically unedited. Appalachia crosses 13 states, is highly diverse, and does not have one monolithic culture. There's a reason there aren't many books about the general history of Appalachia. You'd have better luck reading a book that's a bit more focused in time period or topic.
---------------------
This book, while informative, reads like a high school textbook without the benefit of charts, maps, subheadings, or bulleted vocabulary lists, so requires a lot of note-taking. It reads like a conglomerate of lecture talking point that aren't often further explained. It also lacks any citing of sources (there's only a list of sources in the back).
Each part is an era in appalachian history, and covers multiple topics within that time, but without any sort of segue between topics. One minute we're talkin about religion, the next were talkin about Indiginous people, with absolutely zero transition.
Because of this style of writing there were a lot of frustrating instances where the author sort of skimmed over things that he himself described as "legendary" and "disastrous". In a lot of places this really left me wanting to know more about something that the author admitted was interesting and important but wasn't going to spend time talking about. The author would mention "landmark supreme court cases" but then not tell us what case it was. He'd make sweeping statements about how [xyz] laws affected Appalachia more than other areas and then not embellish on the statement.
Parts 1 & 2 are fairly chronological and reflect a pretty traditional format for a history text book. However the end of part 2 and all of part 3 are organized neither by subject nor by chronology. There's so much timeline hopping, in one section we went from 1920 to 1960 to 1979 then back to 1972.
Instead of one cohesive history, most chapters can be read as standalones (and often overlap timelines and repeat information). We're constantly weaving thru time and in and around topics.
And this is purely knitpicking here, but Richard Drake was absolutely obsessed with a yeoman Appalachia. He talks about it like its practice is the spine and lifeblood of Appalachia. Every chapter either began or ended with the status of yeomanry in Appalachia.
TL;DR: i learned a lot, but it was like pullin teeth, or doin a puzzle without the picture. Reading this book was exhausting. It was scatter-brained, poorely organized, and practically unedited. Appalachia crosses 13 states, is highly diverse, and does not have one monolithic culture. There's a reason there aren't many books about the general history of Appalachia. You'd have better luck reading a book that's a bit more focused in time period or topic.
---------------------
This book, while informative, reads like a high school textbook without the benefit of charts, maps, subheadings, or bulleted vocabulary lists, so requires a lot of note-taking. It reads like a conglomerate of lecture talking point that aren't often further explained. It also lacks any citing of sources (there's only a list of sources in the back).
Each part is an era in appalachian history, and covers multiple topics within that time, but without any sort of segue between topics. One minute we're talkin about religion, the next were talkin about Indiginous people, with absolutely zero transition.
Because of this style of writing there were a lot of frustrating instances where the author sort of skimmed over things that he himself described as "legendary" and "disastrous". In a lot of places this really left me wanting to know more about something that the author admitted was interesting and important but wasn't going to spend time talking about. The author would mention "landmark supreme court cases" but then not tell us what case it was. He'd make sweeping statements about how [xyz] laws affected Appalachia more than other areas and then not embellish on the statement.
Parts 1 & 2 are fairly chronological and reflect a pretty traditional format for a history text book. However the end of part 2 and all of part 3 are organized neither by subject nor by chronology. There's so much timeline hopping, in one section we went from 1920 to 1960 to 1979 then back to 1972.
Instead of one cohesive history, most chapters can be read as standalones (and often overlap timelines and repeat information). We're constantly weaving thru time and in and around topics.
And this is purely knitpicking here, but Richard Drake was absolutely obsessed with a yeoman Appalachia. He talks about it like its practice is the spine and lifeblood of Appalachia. Every chapter either began or ended with the status of yeomanry in Appalachia.
September 30, 2025
I found this 'short' history of the Appalachian region when wandering the stacks at the university near where I live. Never shrinking from learning something new, and since I am in the northern region that geographic area, I checked it out from the library.
There is much covered, from Native American residency, through French and English colonization and their conflicts over ownership of the land, and the industrial and natural resource extraction which developed in the 19th and 20th centuries, and on into financial and economic manipulation of the land and those living there.
It felt that each chapter could have been a full volume of their own, and probably those histories exist, but I was satisfied with what I read and learned. This was much an academic delve into the history of the Appalachian region, so one should be aware that you will be challenged in your preconceptions of your view of the region.
From the mentions of other histories which the author utilized in construction his presentation, and from the detailed listing of the Sources included in the last section of the book, I have added at least 6 to 8 works to my want-to-read list.
There is much covered, from Native American residency, through French and English colonization and their conflicts over ownership of the land, and the industrial and natural resource extraction which developed in the 19th and 20th centuries, and on into financial and economic manipulation of the land and those living there.
It felt that each chapter could have been a full volume of their own, and probably those histories exist, but I was satisfied with what I read and learned. This was much an academic delve into the history of the Appalachian region, so one should be aware that you will be challenged in your preconceptions of your view of the region.
From the mentions of other histories which the author utilized in construction his presentation, and from the detailed listing of the Sources included in the last section of the book, I have added at least 6 to 8 works to my want-to-read list.
May 31, 2017
A class-conscious approach to Cohee/mountaineer history and culture.
Was Appalachia made a colony to the coastal cultural center? And to what extent should we credit Appalachians' opinions on that question. This book makes the forceful argument that the rural farmers and coal miners of the mountains understand their place in our country's politics very well. And the historical causes of their dispossession in the land their ancestors seized from its previous inhabitants.
Highly recommended for liberals and progressives seeking a sympathetic articulation of a class-based identity politics. Also, offers a fine bibilographic survey of available literature on the culture and history of the region.
"Even yet in Appalachia, it may be that the only reform that can succeed must be seen through the lens of yeomanry." -- page 182, "Chapter 10: From Plutocracy to Welfare State and Back".
Was Appalachia made a colony to the coastal cultural center? And to what extent should we credit Appalachians' opinions on that question. This book makes the forceful argument that the rural farmers and coal miners of the mountains understand their place in our country's politics very well. And the historical causes of their dispossession in the land their ancestors seized from its previous inhabitants.
Highly recommended for liberals and progressives seeking a sympathetic articulation of a class-based identity politics. Also, offers a fine bibilographic survey of available literature on the culture and history of the region.
"Even yet in Appalachia, it may be that the only reform that can succeed must be seen through the lens of yeomanry." -- page 182, "Chapter 10: From Plutocracy to Welfare State and Back".
March 14, 2022
A Detailed History of the Appalachias!
This book is fantastic for anyone wishing to learn more about the development, success, and struggles of the Appalachian culture. Drake provides a comprehensive background and uses a plethora of resources to give a complete history of Appalachia.
This book is fantastic for anyone wishing to learn more about the development, success, and struggles of the Appalachian culture. Drake provides a comprehensive background and uses a plethora of resources to give a complete history of Appalachia.
December 7, 2021
There’s a lot of good information in this book and Drake provides analytic commentary beside historical retelling. His writing style is sometimes jarring and hard to follow, and the chapters could be more clearly organized (esp with use of transitional phrases).
May 19, 2019
A well written book probably intended for the academic interested in historical, socio-cultural and political forces at place in Appalachia.
April 13, 2021
Comprehensive but now out of date (2001). Good section on the development of Appalachian literature.
August 1, 2011
Richard B. Drake's "A History of Appalachia" describes this mysterious part of the eastern United States from the pre-European era to the end of the 20th century. Although published by the University Press of Kentucky, this is meant for a general audience. There are no footnotes or in-text citations, and references are cited at the end of the book.
There are many definitions of Appalachia, and some scholars have questioned whether it even makes sense to speak of one such region. Drake sees Appalachia as the mountainous areas of northern Alabama and northern Georgia, the west of South Carolia, Tennessee, eastern Kentucky, West Virginia, part of the west of Virgina and finally western Pennsylvania. What unifies this whole region, Drake claims, is the feature of yeomanry: a society where a family owns and farms its own land. The earliest settlers came from portions of Great Britain and Germany whose inhabitants were hungry for land, wanting that sort of security and unwilling to work on larger commercial farms. Though Appalachian society has diversified and yeomanry involves a minority of Appalachians, Drake believes this phenomenon has continued to the present day.
The economic history of Appalachia also interests Drake. He notes that for centuries this part of the United States was fairly self-sufficient. The industrialization of the US brought the area into the capitalist system. A heavy demand for coal and timber meant that the region was exploited for its natural resources, with results that weren't entirely fair for locals. The book closes with some musings on how Appalachia can prosper economically without losing the traditional values that Drake admires.
A HISTORY OF APPALACHIA is certainly informative on many levels. Unfortunately, this work isn't all that enjoyable and doesn't live up to its potential. Another reviewer called this a "cut and paste" effort, and it's easy to see why. It reads like Drake was just copying whole bits out of earlier sources and then never went back and ironed the text out. I lost count of how many times a factoid is given and then repeated in slightly different wording on the following page. What is also tiresome is that on one hand Drake claims that the stereotype of the violent, illiterate mountain man is unfair, perhaps an invention of outsiders, but on the other hand he sometimes notes that there exist such Appalachians. He fails to give a deeper description of such people, whose psychology would be genuinely interesting to readers from other parts of the United States. Finally, the text may be dated already: the only problem backwoods folk seem to face is poverty, but the issue of methamphetamine use ravaging communities is never presented.
There are many definitions of Appalachia, and some scholars have questioned whether it even makes sense to speak of one such region. Drake sees Appalachia as the mountainous areas of northern Alabama and northern Georgia, the west of South Carolia, Tennessee, eastern Kentucky, West Virginia, part of the west of Virgina and finally western Pennsylvania. What unifies this whole region, Drake claims, is the feature of yeomanry: a society where a family owns and farms its own land. The earliest settlers came from portions of Great Britain and Germany whose inhabitants were hungry for land, wanting that sort of security and unwilling to work on larger commercial farms. Though Appalachian society has diversified and yeomanry involves a minority of Appalachians, Drake believes this phenomenon has continued to the present day.
The economic history of Appalachia also interests Drake. He notes that for centuries this part of the United States was fairly self-sufficient. The industrialization of the US brought the area into the capitalist system. A heavy demand for coal and timber meant that the region was exploited for its natural resources, with results that weren't entirely fair for locals. The book closes with some musings on how Appalachia can prosper economically without losing the traditional values that Drake admires.
A HISTORY OF APPALACHIA is certainly informative on many levels. Unfortunately, this work isn't all that enjoyable and doesn't live up to its potential. Another reviewer called this a "cut and paste" effort, and it's easy to see why. It reads like Drake was just copying whole bits out of earlier sources and then never went back and ironed the text out. I lost count of how many times a factoid is given and then repeated in slightly different wording on the following page. What is also tiresome is that on one hand Drake claims that the stereotype of the violent, illiterate mountain man is unfair, perhaps an invention of outsiders, but on the other hand he sometimes notes that there exist such Appalachians. He fails to give a deeper description of such people, whose psychology would be genuinely interesting to readers from other parts of the United States. Finally, the text may be dated already: the only problem backwoods folk seem to face is poverty, but the issue of methamphetamine use ravaging communities is never presented.
February 5, 2014
The work presented a lot of good information on the history of Appalachia. I think Drake writes well and his style is easily digested, esp for those assuming a scholastic work will be slow and dry. As a scholastic work, Drake does a good job in highlighting other Appalachian scholars, both contemporary & historical. The book makes a good argument for a unique Appalachian culture, one more complex than originally articulated by early scholars and not solely the creation of these early outsiders as argued by contemporary scholars. I think the book does loose itself a little in the latter chapters becoming a bit sentimental, not overly so, and I am not certain the author makes a successful argument for the continued presence of a unique yeoman identity in Appalachia post the War on Poverty. Overall, I greatly enjoyed reading this book.
June 7, 2009
Richard B. Drake combines expansive knowledge with extraordinary skill to pack a surprisingly comprehensive study of Appalachia into one volume.
Drake, professor emeritus of history at Berea College, devotes no less than a third of the book to the region’s Indian inhabitants and, eventually, their mostly antagonistic relationships with the Europeans who invaded and settled in their midst. He traces the settlers from their origins across the Atlantic and explains the sensibilities they brought with them from the Old World that help explain some Appalachian ways.
Drake, professor emeritus of history at Berea College, devotes no less than a third of the book to the region’s Indian inhabitants and, eventually, their mostly antagonistic relationships with the Europeans who invaded and settled in their midst. He traces the settlers from their origins across the Atlantic and explains the sensibilities they brought with them from the Old World that help explain some Appalachian ways.
June 28, 2013
I am so proud of Kentucky and our mountains. They are such an intricate part of our complete makeup. When i have worked in the eastern part of Ketucky i made so many friends and meet some wonderful people. This book tells a wonderful story.
February 8, 2022
This was a little too textbookish for me.
Read
July 20, 2012Hard to tell who he envisions as his audience. Considering the publisher, it could be either academic or popular. At the moment, I am siding with popular. No bloody references!
December 1, 2009
Really dry reading...not what I wanted...some interesting material, but full of examples and divergencies. Each chapter could be read as a stand alone.
March 2, 2021
No review on this one. I narrated and produced the audiobook. It was my first, and you can tell...
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews