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Proudly Made: A Story of Reinvention in the Big Woods and Small Towns of the Pennsylvania Wilds
Winner of a Silver award from The Nonfiction Book Awards
As more communities look to leverage the country’s growing outdoor recreation economy, a forgotten expanse of America’s tapestry, in Pennsylvania's Appalachian Mountains, has emerged as a leader.
“No initiative exists in the country on this scale and level of strategic thinking,” the Society of American Travel Writers said of the Pennsylvania Wilds in 2008.
Now the inspiring backstory of this rural movement is told from the perspective of one of its chief instigators, a woman whose childhood was shaped by the region’s economic challenges and natural beauty as surely as its high plateau was carved by water.
A new mom and former journalist returning to reclaim her rural roots, Ta Enos sees the promise of nature tourism, but must first overcome insecurities to value who she is and her own ability to lead. Ta crafts an empowering blueprint of how after decades of population loss, rural PA came together to leverage two of its greatest assets — its people and its public lands — to create a brighter future for its communities.
PROUDLY MADE captures the story of an independent woman and region reinventing themselves on their own terms, and the special landscape and shared history that helps them bridge traditional divides. From Alaska to Pennsylvania, it takes readers on an unforgettable 20-year journey that shaped the storyteller as much as she shaped it, heralding the difference one person with a little mettle can make, and the greater good that can come when many of us work together.
As more communities look to leverage the country’s growing outdoor recreation economy, a forgotten expanse of America’s tapestry, in Pennsylvania's Appalachian Mountains, has emerged as a leader.
“No initiative exists in the country on this scale and level of strategic thinking,” the Society of American Travel Writers said of the Pennsylvania Wilds in 2008.
Now the inspiring backstory of this rural movement is told from the perspective of one of its chief instigators, a woman whose childhood was shaped by the region’s economic challenges and natural beauty as surely as its high plateau was carved by water.
A new mom and former journalist returning to reclaim her rural roots, Ta Enos sees the promise of nature tourism, but must first overcome insecurities to value who she is and her own ability to lead. Ta crafts an empowering blueprint of how after decades of population loss, rural PA came together to leverage two of its greatest assets — its people and its public lands — to create a brighter future for its communities.
PROUDLY MADE captures the story of an independent woman and region reinventing themselves on their own terms, and the special landscape and shared history that helps them bridge traditional divides. From Alaska to Pennsylvania, it takes readers on an unforgettable 20-year journey that shaped the storyteller as much as she shaped it, heralding the difference one person with a little mettle can make, and the greater good that can come when many of us work together.
264 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 3, 2025
5 people are currently reading
25 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 9, 2025
This memoir is a compelling story about reinventing oneself and even one’s place, through consensus building and open-mindedness and learning. As the author blooms, so does the environment she is fighting and advocating to strengthen and protect. A wonderful Americana story of grit, connection, family and heritage, and legacy.
June 22, 2025
This book is such an inspiring tale of perseverance from not only the author but an entire region to re-brand itself and find a new identity. I finished this book with a renewed sense of adventure to explore the areas around my home and support my local artisans and businesses. Highly recommend this read!
July 26, 2025
Living just southeast of the Pennsylvania Wilds and working for a local economic development organization for 32 years, this book is spot on! Ta’s perseverance exemplifies what it’s like to try to get government funding, public buy in, and working in a nonprofit. Worth the read and worth visiting the PA Wilds.
October 7, 2025
An extraordinary memoir combining personal journey, entrepreneurial adventure, deep love of place, and so much more. I highly recommend it for its moving "coming home" story, and deep dive into what it took to build the PA Wilds movement into the powerful and positive force for conservation, revitalization, sustainable tourism and entrepreneurship that it is today.
December 21, 2025
Working in rural America is tough. Trying to save rural America is even tougher. You never know when the stool will be kicked out from underneath. Ta has taking this struggle to a new level with her Never Quit attitude. I wish her all the success in the world. I hope to see her succeed beyond her wildest dreams! I hope I can help along the way. Kudos.
July 14, 2025
It was an amazing book. It was so well written. The author writes with detail and emotion. It is the journey of reinventing herself and growing in her career, while helping to improve recreation, small towns, and local people.
October 29, 2025
A life changing book
January 30, 2026
My husband and I make it a point to explore one new PA place each year. We're transplants who moved here in 2020 so we've got some catching up to do. So much inspiration for trips in this book!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews