Wednesday, November 4, 2009

" ALEX STEWART "

I can hear you guys right now saying; " What ? Where will she find the time? " I have been planning this for awhile now. When I started The Writers Porch I had in mind to post about my LOVE for BOOKS.............. Well, I had so much fun going eclectic that I felt my original intention to promote THE WRITTEN WORD got lost, so I've created THE BOOK HOUSE, where I will post occasionally (probably once a week) on books and authors. For my first post I want to talk about one of my VERY favorite reads, "Alex Stewart Portrait of A Pioneer " by John Rice Irwin..........ISBN # 0-88740-053-1 : Paperback : 293 pages If you don't like reading about the Appalachian Pioneers and their hardships, you won't like this book. If you do, this is one of the VERY BEST ever written on the subject!! I absolutely fell in love with the man Alex Stewart and with John Irwin's writing! This is not a work of fiction. John started visiting Alex in the 1970's and taping their conversations. He went so often that he became a honorable member of the Stewart family. He then turned 20 years of tapes into one of the best books I've ever read. A book I HATED to see end !! To learn more about John Rice Irwin, who is the founder of the very famous Museum of Appalachia please click on the name. You can also click this to see a YouTube Video of him talking about M of A. Below is a picture of Alex on the books back cover. He reminds me so much of my maternal grandfather who passed away when I was 17 years old.
These are books I received in the past week. I have a few more coming but have promised myself that I will BUY no more until the TBR Stack shows signs of shrinkage!
The above books and these are some of the books I will be talking about on this new blog!!!
HAPPY READING YOU GUYS !!!!!!!!!!

23 comments:

Katherine Roberts Aucoin said...

OMG Carol! The M of A is in my hometown!I've driven past the billboards and now i have to go. I really want to read this book. You haven't steered me wrong yet!

Congrats on your new blog!

Kat said...

I will sure be following your new blog on books. I don't read as much as you (or my husband), but I do love to read. Alex Stewart sounds like my kind of story.
Congrats too on your 200th post. I too have fallen by the way side of what I intended my blog to be, but it is fun.

Brenda said...

Carol! This is great! I'm always looking for good books, especially books about the south. Can't wait to read Alex Stewart's story, and I look forward to more of your excellent suggestions. Thanks!

Reader Wil said...

Hi Carol! I have read the story of John Rice Irwin and about the Appalachian Pioneers and their hardships. I saw the photos in the museum.I love to see how people used to live and how they coped with primitive appliances and kitchen utensils. Interesting to how children played and what kind of toys they have.
This summer I was in Friesland in the north of my country the Netherlands, where I had the opportunity to see an open-air museum. It was all about digging peat and the lives of the peatworkers. They were so poor and had many children. Very interesting how these people had to fend for themselves. It was a socialist who helped them to get more bearable lives. No wonder that this part of the country is in favour of socialism. Well there are so many similarities between your country and our European countries! Very interesting post Carol!

Jeannette StG said...

How did you do it Carol-200 posts in not even a year! Congrats, congrats!
What an extremely hard worker this author was! Wow, a medal just for trying!!

Kat Mortensen said...

Congrats on your 200th post at The Porch and best of luck with your new venture here.
As someone who keeps adding blogs herself (see Kigo of the Kat, please), I know the urge to keep producing material in various forms and manners. Good for you, Carol!

Best wishes,

Kat (following along)

Elizabeth Bradley said...

Sounds like a great book. Congrats on the new blog.

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

I'm excited about your new blog! And congratulations on your 200th post on Writers Porch.

I'm not familiar with "Alex Stewart's Portrait of a Pioneer"--sounds like a great read. Thanks for the tip!

Elizabeth
Mystery Writing is Murder

RNSANE said...

200 posts! Wow...I think that is fabulous. You are an excellent writing and I have enjoyed yur blog thoroughly. I am sure I will enjoy "The Book House" as well.

Pat in east TN said...

Congrats on the new blog ... I can see that my TBR pile AND my 'wish list' will be growing, as you've recommended so many good books already.

I'm looking forward to getting Alex Stewart's story.

Pat in east TN said...

OMG, as I scrolled down the page I now see even more blogs to check out about books and authors .. WOW!

Kathryn Magendie said...

I am going to have to look u pthat book - !

looking forward to reading about what you read!

Kathryn Magendie said...

ps - teehee - I see my book down there in the nc writers!!!! --*grin*

Sandi McBride said...

I have the Foxfire books...devour them...this should be right up my mountain trail!
Thanks for the info
Sandi

NitWit1 said...

Wow, I envy your ability to run two blogs. I struggle with one, sometimes.

I am more of a non-fiction reader on a great number of subjects. this one really sounds interesting.

Happy Reading!!!

Morning's Minion said...

I like "eclectic"--but I can never have too many books, so I'll be following your reviews.

Marguerite said...

This looks like a great book, filled with many adventures, I'm sure. Thanks for all the links and congrats on your new blog! I love it!!

Vicki Lane said...

This Alex Stewart books sounds terrific!

Anonymous said...

Oh my gosh, you must have decided to give up sleep completely!!!!!

I know this will be a success. It's always nice to have someone else read a book first. Get that stack moving!

NCmountainwoman said...

What a great idea! I will definitely follow along, reader that I am. I just picked up Barbara Kingsolver's new novel and can't wait to get started.

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

Yippee!! A book blog!!

Patience-please said...

Good luck on your new blog! Looks like a good blog to follow. I was going to suggest Kathryn Magendie's Tender Graces, but you're way ahead of me, I see!

Tiffany Norris said...

Hooray for your new blog!