Lift up Your Head, Tom Dooley: The True Story of the Appalachian Murder That Inspired One of America's Most Popular Ballads

Rating:
Summary: The true story at last!
Review: The subtitle of this book tells it all -- THE TRUE STORY OF THE APPALACHIAN MURDER THAT INSPIRED ONE OF AMERICA'S MOST POPULAR BALLADS. The author has done meticulous research into the murder of Laura Foster which was popularized by the Kingston Trio. He uses court records, newspaper accounts, and other documents to authenticate his findings about her murder and the trial, conviction, and execution of Tom Dooley. I have read many accounts of the crime, but none were so well documented, and this time I feel that I have an understanding of what really happened. The reader gets to know not only the facts of the case, but also the central figures, their families and neighbors, and the law and court officials. The background information also provides a picture of life in the foothill of North Carolina during the second half of the nineteenth century.

Even though the account sometimes reads like a history book and gets bogged down with details, it is a fascinating book and should be enjoyed by anyone who has an interest in history and who has ever hummed along with "The Ballad of Tom Dooley."