American Hollow

Rating:
Summary: Sister's thank you
Review: "~I thought I would share with the readers the note sent by my sister when she finished the book purchased for her. She is in daily contact with people of the area, she wrote to me, "Thanks again for the book. I really enjoyed it. Some of the language I could"~ job. So far to go to find employment and if factories come in they don't

Rating:
Summary: Sister's thank you
Review: "~I thought I would share with the readers the note sent by my sister when she finished the book purchased for her. She is in daily contact with people of the area, she wrote to me, "Thanks again for the book. I really enjoyed it. Some of the language I could"~ job. So far to go to find employment and if factories come in they don't

Rating:
Summary: I grew up about one mile from Where the Bowling,s live now.
Review: Hello. The main character in this book stayed with my mother when my youngest sister was borned. Iree that is,so I know very well how and what this book and document on HBO is like.In fact my mother and two sisters live now less than two miles from Bass and Iree Bowling.Even though I live in another state ,,I go back and visit my mother very often. Also I always go back for the Home coming at Labor Day Weekend every year. Yes this is the way of the mountian people but,we are very proud of our hertage. Also most have running water and modern conviences now days too. However the Bowling family lives just like the book says. How do I know? You say! Because I know them very personally. P. Woods Ps..Very good work Rory..

Rating:
Summary: A Dangerous generalization
Review: I am not familiar with the particular family that is the focus of the book and documentary, but having lived in Eastern Kentucky all my life, I can attest to the fact that this family represents the exception and not the rule. It is quite dangerous to generalize that the entire region is full of families living in such conditions. There are poverty-stricken people in every region, even in inner-cities. Documentaries like this serve to perpetuate the "hillbilly" stereotype that is so demeaning and destructive to the proud people of Appalachia. Most of us are not living without modern conveniences, technological advances, or even advanced education. I would have appreciated the spirit of this effort if there had been any attempt to distinguish the experiences of this family from the majority of the population of Eastern Kentucky. Instead, they are presented as a typical example of the "modern" Appalachian family. That is a shamefully deceptive myth.

Rating:
Summary: American Hollow
Review: I am not from Kentucky but I personally know relatives of this family and I have visited this mountain area with them. This is really how this family lives and I find the documentory and the book to be actual fact regarding this situation. Many of the relatives have left the area over the years and do lead fine lives in other states. This would represent the remainder of the family that chose to stay with their roots.

Rating:
Summary: American Hollow
Review: I have read "American Hollow" as well as viewed the HBO documentary of the same title that it is a companion of. The book (and film) depicts a way of life in the Appalachian Mountains of Easter KY that I am familiar with as I am from the exact area that the book concerns. Ms. Kennedy and photographer Steve Lehman have done a very nice job of capturing a way of life lived by a few families in this area. Although the family this book concerns are poor I feel that show great dignity and are not ashamed to be who they are, and are proud to be "hillbillies". I do however have a complaint with the book and film, at no time does Ms. Kennedy point out that although this is a way of life for a few famlies in this area it is not a large part. We are not quite as isolated and backward as noted in the text of Ms Kennedys book. We are actually part of the modern world, have nice homes, automobiles, educations and even, gasp! "running water".

Rating:
Summary: American Hollow
Review: I have read "American Hollow" as well as viewed the HBO documentary of the same title that it is a companion of. The book (and film) depicts a way of life in the Appalachian Mountains of Easter KY that I am familiar with as I am from the exact area that the book concerns. Ms. Kennedy and photographer Steve Lehman have done a very nice job of capturing a way of life lived by a few families in this area. Although the family this book concerns are poor I feel that show great dignity and are not ashamed to be who they are, and are proud to be "hillbillies". I do however have a complaint with the book and film, at no time does Ms. Kennedy point out that although this is a way of life for a few famlies in this area it is not a large part. We are not quite as isolated and backward as noted in the text of Ms Kennedys book. We are actually part of the modern world, have nice homes, automobiles, educations and even, gasp! "running water".

Rating:
Summary: Tell it like it is.
Review: In my opinion, the American Hollow is not the author's literary and photographic perception of life in Appalachia. It is an unbiased view of life in the hollow as seen by one family. The author did not attempt to label the family as being representative of the population in general. Whether the family is atypical of the average Appalachian family is irrelevant. The determination of authenticity can be more appropriately evaluated by the participants, the actual family members depicted in the book and film. If the family and neighbors recognize the depictions as creditable, then the author has done a good job of telling it like it is, without approval or disapproval, but merely acceptance that this is one Appalachian family. I missed the documentary on HBO and have searched high and low for it without success. Would be interested to know where I might obtain a copy...all comments welcomed.

Rating:
Summary: Quaint and inaccurate
Review: Quaint and inaccurate Reviewer: Eva Webster-Frizzell from Tennessee I have read and am appalled at the first of many inaccuracies in this book. The first, most glaring to anyone from the area is the caption of the two-page "homecoming" picture. The actual gathering is for a baptism. Anyone not recognizing this has spent a year not learning. Very disappointed in this book. I bought the book for my sister, a PHN working with people in very poor circumstances in the Sequatchie Valley of Tennessee. She had hoped to see the documentary but missed it. I hope she can look over the problems with the book, we can forgive Yankees who try to look at and into our lives and consistently get the wrong information. By the way, our widowed mother reared twin daughters without ever resorting to welfare.

Rating:
Summary: Quaint and inaccurate
Review: Quaint and inaccurate Reviewer: Eva Webster-Frizzell from Tennessee I have read and am appalled at the first of many inaccuracies in this book. The first, most glaring to anyone from the area is the caption of the two-page "homecoming" picture. The actual gathering is for a baptism. Anyone not recognizing this has spent a year not learning. Very disappointed in this book. I bought the book for my sister, a PHN working with people in very poor circumstances in the Sequatchie Valley of Tennessee. She had hoped to see the documentary but missed it. I hope she can look over the problems with the book, we can forgive Yankees who try to look at and into our lives and consistently get the wrong information. By the way, our widowed mother reared twin daughters without ever resorting to welfare.