Snakebite

by James York Glimm

Book by Glimm, James York

Genres: Folklore

272 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 1991

Reviews

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up a used copy of this book to gain a better understanding of the area I now live in (the mountains of central Pennsylvania). The first part of the book consists of a few lame old jokes re-told, but once the author gets into the genuine folk tales and real stories of people of the region, the book becomes fascinating and at times hilarious. A good introduction to the lives and interests of the mountain people of central Pennsylvania

[🍀 · Rating 2 out of 5]

it’s… okay. aged poorly but captures the area well. it’s weird and racist in parts but i’m not sure what i was expecting from a book about rural pennsylvania. that one’s kinda on me lol

[Jason English · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author attempts to paint a picture of life in the PA Wilds in the early 20th century by interviewing and listening to the stories of many "old timers" who grew up during the era and witnessed the advance of technology and society during the course of the entire century. 35ish years after the original publication, it provides an interesting glimpse into a place and time that advanced a little more slowly than most of the eastern US. People eked a living out of the rugged hills of the Susquehanna (and occasionally Clarion) watershed and there was a lot of color to their life and times. Simpler, to be sure, but probably richer than our lives today. The book really improves, in my opinion, toward the end, where people share stories of their lives with a little less guarding than one might expect (a number of tragedies and even some illegal activities are shared). Many of the local legends (as in, people) are pretty much forgotten by now but the stories of their lives and feats are etched deeper into the ridges and valleys of the area than one might even imagine. As someone who loves to spend time in the Wilds, it's worth a read even if it starts slowly.