Far Appalachia: Following the New River North
by Noah Adams

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Book Reviews of Far Appalachia: Following the New River North

Book Review: A powerful, meandering journey told by a master
Summary: 5 Stars

The book borrows its pace from the river itself. In several passages, there appears to be no point: just a casual observation of a minor detail, told in many pages. Whether it's the point where he considers leaping a fence because the trail may or may not be closed, or it's the rich detail of the rapids ahead on the river, you feel as if you're on the journey with Adams every step of the way.

The strength of the book is that Adams tells it on his own terms: this book is an exploration of a part of *his* history. His people are from here, and he wants to learn more about the region that produced his ancestors. At one point he even traces his roots beyond Appalachia, back to England where his ancestors originated. These diversions, much like the tributaries of the New River, simply fill out the story and make your experience all the more complete.

A final note - I listened to this book, rather than read it. Since Noah Adams does the narration, it adds just a bit more to the overall experience. Because you already know his voice, you feel as if you're listening to an old friend tell you stories by the campfire. One can't help but hear the love of the river, and the outdoors in general, as Adams recounts his story. It's a wonderful experience.

Summary of Far Appalachia: Following the New River North

Adams travels along the New River, which rises in the mountains of North Carolina, flows generally north into Virginia and West Virginia, and eventually merges with the Ohio and Mississippi. Along the way--traveling by car, bicycle, and canoe--he explains the workings of rapids, his ancestral connection to Appalachia as well as its the history, and even the origins of the term hillbilly. As he wanders, Adams points out local oddities (such as a school bus that incongruously rests on a huge boulder in the middle of a stretch of the New River) and takes in bluegrass festivals, family picnics and the occasional family feud, and little towns and large vistas, by all appearances having a grand time along the way.

"This is just a book about a river. There was no quest involved, only a wish to understand more about this part of the country and my family's past." So writes Adams, with characteristic understatement. It may lack grand purpose, but his book is a pleasure for anyone who knows the country of which he writes, and anyone who enjoys a backroad adventure. --Gregory McNamee

United States Books

• Subjects > History > Americas > United States
• Sports & Outdoors > Water Sports > Canoeing
• Travel > Reference & Tips > Essays & Travelogues
• Specialty Travel > Adventure
• United States > Regions > South