The Red Flannel Rag: Memories of an Appalachian Childhood

by Peggy Ann Shifflett

History and personal account of life in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia

Genres: Memoir

278 pages

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating book about life in the Alleghenies, just a hop and a skip from our farm in the Shenandoah Valley, and yet, how different is the world Ms. Shifflett brings to life. Some of these customs and practices were known in the valley--still are with the deeply country folk--but many are unique to this far more isolated mountain community. The little elementary school she describes being bussed to from Hopkins Gap is the same school my children attended, and their father before them, now replaced by a far larger modern structure. Much is gained, and lost, in our modern era.

[Lindsey · Rating 2.75 out of 5]

A mix of non fiction and memoir, The Red Flannel Rag tells of life in Rockingham County, VA in the early to mid 1900s. There are some formatting and grammatical errors in this book, and the timeline is sometimes hard to follow, but this book is a very interesting read nonetheless. I enjoyed hearing about moonshine stills, hog harvesting, and Appalachian folk remedies. I was angered by the way Peggy and her family were treated by outsiders who thought they knew better- cruel teachers and preachers who felt that the people living in Hopkins Gap were less than.
Peggy included a family chart, but its format was a list rather than a tree, so I struggled a little bit keeping track of who was who.

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book took place in the area where I grew up. The elementary school the author attended was the same as mine. But, very few similarities existed in our youth beside the nature and land marks that were familiar. It seems that back “In the Gap” life was experienced very differently from someone raised in the Mennonite, Eastern Mennonite College culture.

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read. I grew up and live in the Appalachian mountains. Some of her references to her life reminds me of stories I have heard from my parents and grandparents.

[Shaneen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Plainly written storytelling /ethnography and incredibly valuable.

[Georgia Metz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book about a world that no longer exists. In modern day, Hopkins Gap VA is only about 25 minutes from the nearest supermarket via car, but when Peggy Shifflett was growing up it really was a world apart, mostly disconnected from other communities by the mountains. This makes for a fascinating look into the world of mountain people, outlaws, homesteaders, moonshiners, and revivalists that made up the population of rural Hopkins Gap in the 40s and 50s.

Shifflett structures the book as more of an ethnographic study than a straight memoir, with each chapter focused on a different aspect of Appalachian life in Hopkins Gap (childrearing, cooking, playing, health and folk medicine, etc). This then creates room for Shifflett to share about her own life and family and reflect on her experiences. I thought her reflections were honest, taking into account the gifts of her upbringing and acknowledging the pieces of Appalachian culture that did not serve her well. She spoke honestly and vulnerably about her own family and their faults.

Overall, a really excellent glimpse into a way of life that is now gone, a solid read, and a nice reflection from the author into the intersection between her rural upbringing and modern career woman life.