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"Lingering questions and stereotypes continue to surround Appalachia; even the exact location and size of the region are still debated. It is not surprising, then, that the very concept of Appalachian culture is also contentious. Some see the individuals who reside there as noble northern-European descendants whose lifestyle is reminiscent of the colonial era. There are others who view the region as a land of backward mountain people who are uneducated and hostile. One of the best methods to understand the area is through literature. Although conflict is still readily apparent, stories, memoirs, and poetry from Appalachian authors illuminate the lifestyles, history, and contradictions that define Appalachia. In Writing Appalachia, editors Katherine Ledford and Theresa Lloyd have compiled a comprehensive collection of fictional and non-fictional pieces that represent the region and discuss topics such as Native American residents, slavery and the Civil War, settlement schools, Appalachian folklore and modernism in the region. Featuring writers who were born in the region, adopted the region, or wrote about a significant experience in the region, the anthology includes pieces by Barbara Kingsolver, Silas House, Frank X Walker, James Still, and Tom Wolfe among others. The people living in this region epitomize the deep connection between humans and nature as is illustrated in the sections on southern mountaineers and folklore. However, the relationship between people and the land is being threatened by the increase in mining and mountaintop removal in the region, making the importance of local farming and environmental activism especially salient. Through the featured pieces, a picture of Appalachia emerges that shows that the many conflicts within the region subsist because they are all true- Appalachia is defined by its contradictions. This is the first comprehensive anthology of Appalachian literature to include racial minorities, women, and the Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual (Transgendered community. In addition, Ledford and Lloyd analyze the more modern works that reveal the vast changes the region has undergone"--