Author Archives: emilycchoate

I was moved and galvanized by reading Jessica Wilkerson’s To Live Here, You Have to Fight, which traces the contributions of women activists in the Appalachian labor and social-justice battles of the twentieth century. A book like this one provides a … Continue reading →

I’m especially glad to share my review of Nora McInerny’s great new memoir, No Happy Endings.McInerny, who hosts the also-great “Terrible, Thanks for Asking,” is as funny as anyone could be about the collisions of joy and tragedy in our … Continue reading →

I’m thrilled to share my latest review for Chapter 16—this time, I got to delve into Sophia Shalmiyev’s captivating memoir, Mother Winter. I can think of so many readers I know who will love this book, especially those who enjoyed … Continue reading →

I’m late to posting this, but I’m still happy to share my recent review of Florence Dore’s Novel Sounds: The American Novel in the Age of Rock and Roll. This work of literary criticism tackles a range of 1950s Southern writers’ novels … Continue reading →

It was a real joy and challenge to review Appalachian Reckoning, a new anthology edited by Anthony Harkins and Meredith McCarroll. This book brings together a collection of responses to the huge and problematic phenomenon of J.D. Vance’s Hillbilly Elegy. I like … Continue reading →

I’m thrilled to share my Q&A with the wonderful Maurice Carlos Ruffin. I can’t express how exciting it is to see my friend’s debut novel, We Cast A Shadow, doing so well. We are both longtime members of the great … Continue reading →

I’m so excited to share my review of Cary Holladay’s new short story collection (plus one novella), Brides in the Sky. Holladay’s fiction usually dives deeply into Virginia landscapes or roams across a settler’s vision of the long-ago West. And she … Continue reading →