If This Ain't True, Grits Ain't Groceries
by Glenn Bolick
Hundreds of oldtime sayings and tales from Blowing Rock, NC and the Bolick family.
Glenn's family claimed land in the holler of Bailey's Camp Creek in the 1800's. He was raised hearing stories of how his great, great grandparents lived in a log cabin and farmed the land. Glenn is famous throughout the Appalachian Mountains for being a sawmill man, storyteller, musician, potter, and jokester.
This book is a must for fans of the history of the southern Appalachian Mountains. If you don't know nothin' 'bout learnin' in a one-room school, haulin' water, sawin' wood and growin' your own eatin' - you gotta' read this!
Young Ray Hicks Learns the Jack Tales
by Lynn Salsi
(for young readers)
Forza Renea Editions - Brown Summit, NC
ISBN Hard Cover - 0-9706527-5-5
ISBN Soft Cover - 0-9706527-6-3
Although written for young readers, this chapter book has 154 pages and is widely read by adult fans of the late Ray Hicks. Lynn compiled the material from hundreds of hours of personal interviews with the master storyteller. It tells about Ray's young years when his grandfather was his closest friend. Although it is based on true stories, it is historical fiction. The depictions of other family members, teachers, and neighbors were given to the author via Ray's memory of the important people in his life. It is an excellent view of Appalachian mountain life between 1932 and 1935.
James Young's delightful color cover and pen and ink drawings are charming and are appropriate for a book about mountain life.
The North Carolina Imagination Box
by Lynn Salsi
ISBN - 0-9706527-1-2
Learn through speaking and writing. This is a strategy guide for teachers, parents, and students who are interested in language, drama, and writing for grades 4-8. It is chocked full of ideas and examples for classroom programs and projects using North Carolina ballades, plays, and history. The re-printable plays are enough to keep a classroom going for weeks. These encourage reading skills and teach social studies at the same time. This is an excellent book to use for North Carolina social studies, fourth through sixth grade writing, reading across the curriculum, and enrichment programs. Note: Lynn is an instructor for teacher re-certification at Guilford Technical Community College in Jamestown and High Point and Randolph County Community College in Asheboro. This book was inspired by questions from classroom teachers and was supported by a grant from the Central Piedmont Regional Artists.
Portsmouth Island Outer Banks Treasure
by Lynn Salsi
ISBN 0-9706527-3-9
Willie Parker Peace History Book Award
Salsi chronicles the history of one of the most important ports on the eastern seaboard in the 1700s and early 1800s. This volume presents the history of a little known place that was vastly important to the economy of the state of North Carolina from the time of settlement until the Civil War. It is a subject that everyone should know about. Those who read the book will want to plan an expedition to the place that is very difficult to reach. She even gives the directions and the appropriate telephone numbers to line up boat reservations. This is a magical book full of dazzling full-color and black and white photographs by Frances Eubanks. Mrs. Eubanks is a descendent of the original Salter family who lived on the island throughout its existence as a working village.