Roaming the Mountains with John Parris

by John Parris

Retrace Western North Carolina’s cultural and natural history with one of its most beloved storytellers and folklorists, John Parris. Repackaged with an updated cover and back in print for the first time in decades, the Two Hoots Press Heritage Edition includes the complete original text and illustrations of this southern classic.  For almost four decades, John Parris' brief yet illuminating non-fiction essays comprised his popular Asheville-Citizen-Times column, "Roaming the Mountains.” When a selection of Parris’ columns were first published as this book in 1955, it was an instant regional classic.  Parris writes with the crispness of Hemingway and the grace of Thomas Wolfe.  Indeed, he was a war correspondent like Hemingway and a decorated hero for his work with the Belgian underground during World War II. But the enduring legacy of John Parris is his work to document the culture and lives of Appalachian people. He was the last writer to capture many of the first person accounts recorded in this book. With every word, Parris links past to present in loving tribute to his Western North Carolina home, its mountains, and its people.   

260 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1955

Reviews

[Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I grew up seeing book by Parris on the shelves of my grandparents or friend's houses, and remember reading his column when I was still in grade school. I wondered if his writings would hold up and they mostly do. While these are mostly vignettes (and gloss over some of the very real hardships mountain people faced) the fact that he recognized how quickly the modern age was transforming rural Appalachia and chose to get these stories down on paper before the storytellers were gone is a minor achievement, particularly in his brief but sympathetic acknowledgment of the mistreatment of the Cherokee.

[William Howle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This a book with numerous vignettes about the mountains of North Carolina and East Tennessee and the people and legends there in. There are a lot of the stories I can identify with as my grand parents lived in Alabama and their lives were somewhat similar to the people in this book. If you're interested in mountain lore, this would be a book for you.

[Mae Sullens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Parris's writing is captivating. I so appreciate the stories he tells and the way in which he paints pictures of a dying Appalachia. He makes me long for days long gone!

[Mark A. Plemmons · Rating 5 out of 5]

A trip back in time. I loved hearing about the people John Parris describes. He weaves tales of the past with traditions, food and history. Loved this book.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovers of Appalachia will not want to pass this gem by. It's a collection of personal accounts of elderly people living in the mountains of Western North Carolina that the author used in his regular newspaper column Roaming The Mountains. It's full of stories of long forgotten places, traditions, trades and events. Find a comfy chair and enjoy a glimpse into a time and place that is seldom seen. The other books in the series are a real treat too.

[Kenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely synopses of the "old days." Take them as the compilation of articles they are and the journalistic style won't be as irritating. Still a wonderful collection. Heartwarming, disturbing, mysterious, and magical. Just like the mountains themselves.