Crapalachia

By: Scott McClanahan

Narrated by: Scott Sowers

Length: 5 hrs and 5 mins

Publisher's Summary

When Scott McClanahan was fourteen he went to live with his Grandma Ruby and his Uncle Nathan, who suffered from cerebral palsy.

Crapalachia is a portrait of these formative years, coming-of-age in rural West Virginia. Peopled by colorful characters and their quirky stories, Crapalachia interweaves oral folklore and area history, providing an ambitious and powerful snapshot of overlooked Americana.

©2013 Scott McClanahan (P)2013 Recorded Books

Critic Reviews

" Crapalachia is the genuine article: intelligent, atmospheric, raucously funny and utterly wrenching. McClanahan joins Daniel Woodrell and Tom Franklin as a master chronicler of backwoods rural America." ( The Washington Post)

Great companion to the book!

Great narration that sticks true to the text. I listened to the audible version when I didn’t have the text in front of me. Lively animations of the characters and their voices. Totally recommend!! The narration is 💯 especially during the funny parts - I awkwardly LOLed on the 2 train going downtown to Brooklyn...no regrets 😂

Great book!

I really enjoyed this book. It was fun to read about somebody else’s life and how they lived. The most important part of this book was the epilogue;it was so true. This book was fun, silly and some sadness. Most of all I could relate to some of my friends parents who were just like some of these people.

With me

I will hold this book in my heart forever. It is very real and alive to me.

It Certainly Lives Up to the Title

I have to admit this book caused a couple of chuckles. Growing up in a similarly rural area in Southwest Virginia, I have the exact same representations of the stereotypical “hillbilly” in my family and in my community. After reading authors like Lee Smith, Barbara Kingsolver and Silas House I had a higher expectation. Although I don’t know why with a title such as Crapalachia. I want my credit back and my time back. All I can say is the title fits. Sounds like the author is deeply bitter about his upbringing and it’s geographical location, the region, the culture and his family tree. I hope he has worked it out, maybe writing it down was a catharsis, maybe he remains bitter.

Gives New Meaning to Heartfelt.

Every page makes you feel something. I'm not one to read books that make me feel bored. If a book leaves me feeling lukewarm, I often times just set it down. I even put down good books soemtimes. This Crapalachia story never even gave me a chance to THINK about setting it down.

Plus the narration was perfect. Matched the tone so well. Read with real emotion.

I cried at work

Excellent story filled with blood and tears. It captures the scene so well that we as readers feel the emotions.