Pure Heart: A Spirited Tale of Grace, Grit, and Whiskey

by Troylyn Ball, Bret Witter

Overview

There is nothing stronger than a mother’s love . . . except a good glass of moonshine.

The mountains of North Carolina are rich—lush with the greens and blues of the seven-mile views and bursting with a culture where the ways of Old Appalachia meet the new South. This is the heart of moonshine country, where they practice an art passed down from generation to generation, crafted not only out of pride and ingenuity, but also out of a daring to push the boundaries of the law to create a product that has come, in many ways, to symbolize America.

Troy Ball is a classic Southern belle, with an easy charm, impeccable manners, a wide smile, and golden-blond hair. But beneath that crisp white blouse and strand of pearls is a streak of tenacity a mile wide. In the early 2000s, Troy and her husband, Charlie, left their native Texas for the up-and-coming town of Asheville, North Carolina, because the climate was better for the health of their two severely ill, special-needs sons. Troy found there something the dedicated mom never expected: time for herself. And then along came Forrest Jarrett, an Appalachian raconteur with a pickup truck, a thousand stories to tell, and a sip or two of white squeezings, aka moonshine, to share with the newcomer. 

What followed was a surprising friendship and a five-year journey into the heart of distilling old-fashioned corn whiskey. Stretching back to Colonial times and forward to today and the Byzantine laws Troy had to navigate to become the first female legal moonshiner in the history of the South, this a true moonshine-making odyssey that will touch your soul. 

When the real estate crash wiped out her family financially and threatened the safety of her children, Troy realized that moonshine was more than a hobby . . . her world-class whiskey (and newfound friends) could save her family, too.  

Pure Heart is a story of dedication, inspiration, and days spent in a run-down shack in the company of some of the finest and funniest good-old boys you’d ever want to meet. It is the story of how a strong woman used grit and determination to launch a thriving business, and what a mother will do to help her children. It is also about sharing a drink with friends—and all that is great about the South.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062458964
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	01/17/2024
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	273
File size:	873 KB

About the Author

Troy Ball is the founder and principal owner of Asheville Distilling Company in Asheville, North Carolina, makers of Troy & Sons Platinum whiskey, Troy & Sons Oak Reserve, and Blonde whiskey. Troy & Sons Platinum recently received a gold medal for moonshine, the highest possible rating. In 2004, Troy cofounded the Thoughtful House Center for Children in Austin, Texas, which has recently changed its name to the Johnson Center for Child Health and Development. Today, the center sees over 2,500 children with autism and spectrum disorders and coordinates international medical research studies. Troy lives outside Asheville, North Carolina, with her husband, Charlie, and two of their three grown sons, Marshall and Coulton, who have special needs.

Bret Witter has co-authored eight New York Times bestsellers, including the #1 bestseller The Monuments Men. He lives with his family in Decatur, Georgia.

Table of Contents

Introduction: What is Pure Heart? 1

Part I Listener's Hill

Chapter 1 Before Marshall 11

Chapter 2 Marshall 19

Chapter 3 The Cat 24

Chapter 4 Planting Seeds 31

Chapter 5 Listener's Hill 36

Chapter 6 Two Gifts 45

Chapter 7 The End 55

Part II Angelwood

Chapter 8 Asheville 61

Chapter 9 We Find Our Way 69

Chapter 10 Pet 'n' Poke 78

Chapter 11 Whisper Mountain 87

Chapter 12 Finding Forrest 93

Chapter 13 The Cookout 103

Chapter 14 Alabama Clyde 110

Chapter 15 Block and Tackle 116

Chapter 16 Shaken 121

Part III Peaceful Valley Farm

Chapter 17 Crooked Creek 129

Chapter 18 Peaceful Valley 137

Chapter 19 The Thumper 147

Chapter 20 A Place of My Own 155

Chapter 21 Partner 165

Chapter 22 Broken 178

Part IV Taccirring

Chapter 23 Taking Stock 185

Chapter 24 Oscar 193

Chapter 25 Trust 201

Chapter 26 Winter 206

Chapter 27 A Woman Did This? 213

Chapter 28 A Hundred Runs 221

Chapter 29 It Comes Together 229

Chapter 30 Sell, Sell, Sell 238

Chapter 31 Connections 246

Chapter 32 Taccirring 255

Epilogue: A Whisper From a Mountain 259

Suggested Reading 259

Acknowledgments 275

Editorial Reviews

01/30/2017
In this earnest, heartfelt memoir, Ball, assisted by Witter (Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World) tells of a midlife decision to resettle her family. Ball and her husband, Charlie, learning to leverage assets and always looking for the next investment, made a comfortable life for themselves in Austin, Tex. When both of their sons were born with severe disabilities, Ball stayed home to care for them and found ways to keep her industrial spirit intact. But after years of ER visits for their boys from dust and heat, the family sold off everything and started over in Asheville, N.C. Barely settled in to their new Appalachian home, the family attempted to recreate the success they enjoyed in Texas. With more comprehensive resources from the area to help with her sons, Ball found herself with time to begin a project of her own. While her husband worked on his dream project of developing land, Ball took to a new hobby—distilling whiskey. Utilizing newfound friends, research and grit, Ball became the first person in 80 years to apply for a distilling license in western North Carolina, and six weeks later she was the first woman in North Carolina (and the fourth woman in the U.S.) federally permitted to distill hard liquor. Her celebration was cut short however when her husband told her a few weeks later that they were broke. Ball’s Southern charm shines in her memoir as she shares her family’s successes and failures. She never asks for sympathy for the choices they made that led to their financial demise and ultimate perseverance. The histories of Asheville and distilling are woven throughout and add depth to her memoir. (Feb.)

Publishers Weekly

A book about love and surprises. What could be better? — Chris Martin, lead singer of Coldplay

“The first woman ever licensed to distill hard liquor in North Carolina uncorks an emotionally charged memoir about traversing family heartache to become the “moonshine mama” of the South...A heart-stirring life story.” — Kirkus Reviews

“This memoir is one readers will easily flip through, enjoying the narrator’s southern-style wit and charming character on every page, along with her profound, all-consuming message of love, hope, and persistence.” — Booklist

“In this earnest, heartfelt memoir, Ball, assisted by Witter tells of a midlife decision to resettle her family…Ball’s Southern charm shines in her memoir as she shares her family’s successes and failures. She never asks for sympathy for the choices they made that led to their financial demise and ultimate perseverance. The histories of Asheville and distilling are woven throughout and add depth to her memoir.” — Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

This memoir is one readers will easily flip through, enjoying the narrator’s southern-style wit and charming character on every page, along with her profound, all-consuming message of love, hope, and persistence.

Booklist

A book about love and surprises. What could be better?

Chris Martin

This memoir is one readers will easily flip through, enjoying the narrator’s southern-style wit and charming character on every page, along with her profound, all-consuming message of love, hope, and persistence.

Booklist

2016-10-26
The first woman ever licensed to distill hard liquor in North Carolina uncorks an emotionally charged memoir about traversing family heartache to become the "moonshine mama" of the South.In the art of making moonshine, "pure heart" refers to the elusive part of the distillation process when fermenting corn mash begins to yield the best part of "platinum whisky." It also describes the fierce and unwavering love that Ball, founder and owner of Asheville Distilling Company, demonstrates caring for her wheelchair-bound sons, Marshall and Coulton. Born with severe health issues and prone to near-constant respiratory infections, the boys weren't expected to live into their teen years. Ball refused to let that happen, and she also found a way to resurrect the entrepreneurial spirit her beloved father instilled in her when she was a girl running her own horse shows in Texas. Determined to give her kids a better chance far away from those dusty confines, however, Ball and her devoted husband, Charlie, packed up the family and moved to Asheville. There, the author, who wrote the book with the assistance of veteran co-author Witter, realized that she and moonshine were a perfect match. Invoking the salesmanship learned at her father's knee, she valiantly began to construct her new company making her own authentic brew. The business soured fast, however, when Charlie's real estate ventures tanked, and what began as the author's quest for identity and self-fulfillment quickly became a desperate mission to save her family from dissolution and ruin. "Even now," she writes, "I find my resentment bubbling up, not for the bad investment—that was the product of the times—but because my husband didn't listen [to her business advice]." Teetering between success and failure, Ball was able to create a thriving business through sheer hard work and good sense. A heart-stirring life story.

Kirkus Reviews