Cades Cove: The Life and Death of a Southern Appalachian Community

by Durwood Dunn

Overview

"Not only is his book a worthy addition to the growing body of work recognizing the complexities of southern mountain society; it is also a lively testament to the value of local history and the variety of levels at which it can provide significant enlightenment."
—John C. Inscoe, LOCUS

Drawing on a rich trove of documents never before available to scholars, the author sketches the early pioneers, their daily lives, their beliefs, and their struggles to survive and prosper in this isolated mountain community, now within the confines of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. In moving detail this book brings to life an isolated mountain community, its struggle to survive, and the tragedy of its demise.

 "This is a fine book. . . . It is mostly about community and interrelationships, and thus it refutes much of the literature that presents Southern Mountaineers as individualistic, irreligious, violent, and unlawful."
—Loyal Jones, Appalachian Heritage.  

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780870495595
Publisher:	University of Tennessee Press
Publication date:	08/15/1988
Pages:	288
Sales rank:	293,132
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.80(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

 Durwood Dunn is professor of history and political science at Tennessee Wesleyan College.

What People are Saying About This

Gordon B. McKinney

“Professor Dunn provides us with a model historical investigation of a southern mountain community. His findings on commercial farming, family, religion, and politics will challenge many standard interpretations of the Appalachian past.”

Editorial Reviews

Relying on documentary sources, Dunn's revisionist history challenges accounts of the Great Smoky's Cades Cove mountain folk presented by previous historians and fiction writers. Dunn shows that this East Tennessee community was from its origin no less progressive than the nation as a whole. Appearances to the contrary only arose from an atypical portion of the community or from its temporary regression following the Civil War. Ironically, outsiders' ``progress'' and not its own deficiencies led to the community's demise. Should appeal to scholars and general readers. Recommended for public libraries in the South and most academic libraries.Brent A. Nelson, Univ. of Arkansas at Little Rock Lib.

Library Journal

Drawing on a rich trove of documents never before available to scholars, Dunn (history, Tenn. Wesleyan College) sketches the early pioneers, their daily lives, their beliefs, and their struggles to survive and prosper in this isolated mountain community, now within the confines of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Cloth edition (0-57049-554-2) not seen by UPBN. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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