The Face of Appalachia: Portraits from the Mountain Farm

by Tim Barnwell

A world we have lost, in beautiful photographs and moving words. Life in the steep hills of Appalachia has changed more in the last twenty years than in the previous two hundred. Long a region of farmers, burley tobacco, cattle, copious gardens, durable traditions, and hard-working families, it has become a region of retirees, developers, young urban escapees, and new highways. Aware of the transformation, Tim Barnwell set out to document the lives of the people in the land he grew up in. His sensitive portraits, landscapes, and farm scenes, and his penetrating oral histories give us an entrée into a life characterized by straightforward joys, hardships, isolation, and independence. It is a way of life we will not see again. 100 duotone photographs.

Genres: History, Photography, Nonfiction, Art

157 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2003

Reviews

[Beth Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I could give this book a million stars I would. Photographer Tim Barnwell has a true gift. The pictures in this book are simply amazing and the bonus comes at the end of the book where he presents the oral histories that go with the pictures. There aren’t words to describe how wonderful this book is. A million stars!!!!

[S.G. Benson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent photos (most 1980s) with oral histories of the subjects. I would have preferred the text to be integrated with the pics, but instead they were placed in the back of the book so I had to keep flipping back and forth.

[Abigail · Rating 5 out of 5]

wow. i really felt this book. it was visually stunning. amazing photography. the oral history presented at the end was fascinating. this book was emotive and slow and lovely and haunting.

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant

[Keith Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful photographs

[Val · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing, fascinating book. When you realize most of these portraits were taken in the early 1980s and many of these folks were in their 80s and 90s then....you begin to realize they are no longer with us. Then you read the narratives and the stories they told the photographer, and you are so very thankful that they did, for they otherwise would be lost to us forever.