Far Appalachia

Following the New River North

De: Noah Adams

Narrado por: Noah Adams

With his sharp eye and gentle wit, Noah Adams doesn't just tell stories, he lets them unfold quietly, powerfully, and eloquently. Now the beloved host of NPR's All Things Considered and bestselling author of Piano Lessons takes us on a river journey through the heart of Appalachia--a journey shared by pioneers and preachers, white-water daredevils, bluegrass musicians, and an unforgettable cast of vivid historical characters.

Noah Adams has Appalachia in his blood. A native of eastern Kentucky, he comes to the headwaters of the New River not just in search of adventure but to better understand his own unique heritage. Following the New River from its mile-high source on North Carolina's Snake Mountain to its West Virginia mouth, Adams travels by Jeep and by bicycle, by foot and, most thrillingly, by white-water raft to explore the history, natural beauty, and fascinating characters waiting around every bend and turn.

Distilling history from legend, Adams tells of men and women whose lives crossed the New River before him: Daniel Boone, fleeing his farming family in search of wilderness; Cherokee Indians driven west on their Trail of Tears; and the ill-fated men who traveled thousands of miles to work on the Hawk's Nest Tunnel, making a fortune for a company while their lungs filled with deadly silica dust. And along the way Adams follows the echoes of his own distant heritage, interweaving his river journey through Appalachia with yet another voyage, thousands of miles away.

With eloquence and compassion, Noah Adams paints a luminous portrait of a land and a people as richly vital and complex as America itself. At the same time, his quietly personal chronicle captures the sheer magic of the flowing waters: their sound, their eddies, their utter unpredictability. A vibrant and unforgettable read, Far Appalachia mesmerizes and haunts like the bluegrass music that still rings through the mountains and valleys in which it was born.Executive Producer: Sherry Huber
Producer: Louis Milgrom
Original cover design by Guy Billout
©2001 by Noah Adams
(P)2001 Random House, Inc.

Reseñas de la Crítica

"The host of NPR's All Things Considered now takes readers on another year-long journey, this time through Appalachia -- by canoe, bicycle and white-water raft.. He skims lightly over the depths and navigates the rapids with humor and a sharp eye for telling detail."
-- Publishers Weekly

"Far Appalachia is a lyrical journey through the heart of the mountain South. It is a New River voyage through time and memory penned by a gifted son of Appalachia who -- with the best of us -- has both wings and roots."
-- Sharyn McCrumb, author of The Songcatcher


Praise for Noah Adams's Piano Lessons:

"Charming ... his delight in music-making is palpable."
-- The New Yorker

"[A] charming memoir -- Adams clearly possesses a gift that too many teachers don't -- the ability to convey just how much fun it is to make music, and just how many different ways there are for a piece of music to be beautiful."
-- Newsday

"Entertaining and surprising detail -- Piano Lessons will make you a believer in the quest to find and make music and will have you falling back in love with your own dreams, whatever they may be."
-- John Hockenberry, correspondent, ABC News, author of Moving Violations

"An affectionate tribute ... [from] a writer of considerable merit."
--The Seattle Times

"A truly absorbing story ... with humor and candor ... Adams is a gifted interviewer with a good ear for a story, and Piano Lessons is full of them."
-- Minneapolis Star-Tribune

"Genuinely moving ... Adams writes in the same earnest ... tone that has endeared him to radio listeners for more than twenty years."
-- San Francisco Examiner & Chronicle

"The balance of storytelling -- about pianos specifically, and then into music in general and back again -- rings nicely, with plenty of pushed pedals to sustain it."
-- The Philadelphia Inquirer

"This is a wonderful book, which has a generous, transcendental beauty. The fascination of the river journey lies, for me, in the small details, which refresh and stir the reader like the smell of coffee by a campfire in the morning. I bet I won't be the only reader to be reminded of Thoreau."
-- Jonathan Kozol , author of Amazing Grace

Only if you are going there

As a general read I would give this a very low score (1 star), if I were moving to the area or planning to canoe the New River or bike around the area I would give the book a much higher score (3/4 stars). There is no real story here and the history of the area and the people are only lightly touched on, if at all. I was left wanting much more. However; trails, river sections, stores and such are covered well along with a good description of the area and would certainly be of value to anyone planning a trip there.

A subtle journey filled with insight

Would you listen to Far Appalachia again? Why?

It's not unheard of for me to read and listen or listen and then read - but that pattern only occurs when one or the other is abridged. Far Appalachia is unabridged - but still too short. The author/narrator conveys a loving glimpse of a land both filled with folklore and rich in bedrock history. I would have enjoyed a longer audio trek with more time to examine the nuance however I accept that Far Appalachia is a personal recollection. It fits in Noah Adam's memories and he doesn't have to share everything; only enough to make we wish for more.

What did you like best about this story?

Smoothly flows along like the river he's describing.

Have you listened to any of Noah Adams???s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Only as an NPR reporter The two experiences are incomparable being from entirely different styles.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Just enjoyed it.

Any additional comments?

For those who want a more dramatic trip on the river, try "Deliverance" as written by James Dickey and narrated by Will Patton. It's much better than the film!

A Listening Pleasure!

I am surprised by the ungenerous reviews of this audio title. Adam's reading is warm and genuine, as well as professional. His recounting of the New River's beauty and history and his own experiences of the area were a pleasure to which to listen. Having heard this book, surely no one can fail to recognize what a magical and lovely place Appalachia is. And I should know, as I have never lived far from it.

Very descriptive

Exactly a story I was looking for. Almost like I was there in every turn.

Buy the book

I'm a big fan of Noah Adams on the radio so I was looking forward to the audio version of his book. My suggestion: buy the book and READ it yourself. If you're a fan of audio books, you know the reader is as important as the author. Mr Adams has a wonderful reporting voice but it's very distracting to hear him as a book reader. Hearing a poetic description of a scenic river float read in the same style as "Coalition forces came under fire as they made their way into Baghdad today..." well, you get the idea.