Bearwallow

"His narrative is haunting and evocative, full of rich details and natural scenery." —Shelf Awareness "'Me in place and the place in me,' Seamus Heaney declares in his poem 'A Herbal.' That idea is at the core of this deeply satisfying memoir of one man's exile from and return to his Appalachian homeland. Jeremy Jones shows the complexity of a region and a people too often reduced to the crudest of stereotypes, and by doing so gains even greater self-awareness. Bearwallow is a book to be savored." —Ron Rash, author of Serena and The Risen "Bearwallow is a thoughtful reflection on what it means to be a particular kind of southerner—one who went away and returned to see his homeplace anew through fresh eyes. Jeremy B. Jones revels in what many have known for years—that there is not now and never has been a singular Appalachian experience. Jones’s writing is clear-eyed, curious, and reverent. This memoir is a pure pleasure to read."—Beth Macy, Dopesick and Factory Man "Bearwallow is a marvel of a book—intricate and wise. Jones folds the past in with the present—his ancestors’ stories in with his own and those of the new generations of immigrants—tales told in beautiful, meditative prose that stack up like the mountain ridges, one on top of another in a seamless continuum." —Mesha Maren, Sugar Run "In prose vivid and fresh, Jeremy Jones gives us an intimate and in-depth study of contrasting worlds—Latin America, the Blue Ridge Mountains, old families, new Hispanic arrivals, the pull of home, and the need to escape. . . . It is a story of both teaching and learning, of roots, and of unexpected discovery. Bearwallow is a delight to read." —Robert Morgan, author of The Road from Gap Creek "Jones changes the way we talk about Appalachians . . . an artful exploration of voice, place, and belonging." —The Iowa Review "The remarkable thing about Bearwallow is its seamless weaving of time, place, and blood. Jeremy Jones's craftsmanship in telling this story of generations and geography and his reverence for both are a beauty to behold. A fine debut of a fine writer—this is a wonderful book." —Bret Lott, author of Dead Low Tide