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At Home in the Heart of Appalachia

WEEREAD: At Home in the Heart of Appalachia

A poignant memoir of family and place, At Home in the Heart of Appalachia’s opening chapter begins with author John O’Brien traveling for his father Jim’s funeral. A strained relationship with his father and hi...
WEEread

WEEREAD: Holiday Reading for Children

A Day for Skating by Sarah Sullivan Written in simple rhyming couplets with no more than two lines to a page, Sarah Sullivan’s A Day for Skating is perfect to share with children who are just learning to r...
Shiner

WEELUNK BOOK REVIEW: Shiner

In her stunning debut novel Shiner, Amy Jo Burns explores friendship and grief in the mountains of West Virginia. Teenaged Wren Bird and her family live an isolated and antiquated life in Randolph County, nearl...
WEEread

WEEREAD: Who’s Telling Appalachia’s Story?

Since it's release in 2016, J.D. Vance's memoir Hillbilly Elegy has received both praise and criticism. Borne out of a need to respond to Hillbilly Elegy, Appalachian Reckoning and What You Are Getting Wrong About Appalachia tackle issues that have plagued the region long before Vance came on the scene. Have you read any of these books? What are your thoughts on the role that they play in telling our story as Appalachians?
WEEread

Recommended Reading: WV Books for Kids

As the kids settle into the new school year, check out these books to keep their minds active and explore the mountain state through reading. All of the books featured are either written by West Virginia author...
The Unquiet Grave

WEELUNK BOOK REVIEW: The Unquiet Grave

For many a West Virginian, the story of Zona Heaster Shue — better known as the Greenbrier Ghost — is a familiar one. The small details may differ, but the story usually goes something like this: in 1897, a rec...
Riding on Comets

WEELUNK BOOK REVIEW: Riding on Comets

In her memoir Riding on Comets, born-and-bred West Virginian Cat Pleska recalls coming of age in the 1950s and ‘60s in a story that, at its core, is about a family trying to stay together. At first look, Pleska...
Rocket Boys

WEELUNK BOOK REVIEW: Rocket Boys

Sixty-odd years ago, no one expected kids from Coalwood, West Virginia, to be whip-smart. Coalwood produced football stars and coal miners, not rocket scientists. “Rocket Boys” is the story of how the book’s au...
Wee Read

WEELUNK BOOK REVIEW: Quiet Dell

A Small West Virginia Town Hides a Big Secret By 1931, the Great Depression had most of the nation in its grasp, including the once affluent Chicago suburb of Park Ridge. Asta Eicher was widowed several years ...
WEEread

WHAT WEE ARE READING

Some of us have more downtime now than we did before we began to shelter in place during the pandemic. What better time than now to catch up on those books in the “to-read” pile next to your bed! Here are some ...
wee read book review

WEELUNK BOOK REVIEW: Murder Never Dies

When the Friendly City Turned Rogue With 250 years of history, Wheeling’s story isn’t only innovation, triumphs and celebrations. Just like any other city, there has been a dark past we would rather forget. An...

Books That Every West Virginian Should Read

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1. Rocket Boys by Homer H. Hickam, Jr. A true memoir, Rocket Boys details the childhood experiences of NASA engineer Homer “Sonny” Hickam Jr. in his hometown of Coalwood, West Virginia. In a poor mining town...