Quotes from Anthony Harkins

Appalachia, in fact, is a very matriarchal culture. We revere our grandmothers and mothers.

In Appalachia, everyone has a fierce granny story.

He seems to be giving his people a (mostly) gently worded lecture on their lack of willingness to work even when it appears almost pointless to do so. For that reason, the book should have been titled Hillbilly Reprimand, because Vance doesn't want to mourn his hillbilly family. He wants to make them good proletarians like they allegedly were in the twentieth century.

We lived in a valley, in foothills of ancient mountains. The trees waited for each generation to be born, to keep them company as they watched over us from high above.

On election season politicos dawn their timber boots and red handkerchiefs. Many claim salt of the earth roots every time they eat a watermelon, but they never bite the bitterness of the rind. Everyone likes a good show and the politics of poverty never disappoint.

Amidst the blue ridge mountains, there are remarkable expressions of life. Tapestries woven by generations that are always on trial by those who amputate hope from what once was native land. Digesting each day, the unpleasant taste of yesterday's homemade buttermilk.