Reading by Kentucky writer Silas House Sept. 28 at Berea College

The issue featured the late Al Stewart, founder of  “Appalachian Heritage.” Included was poetry by Stewart as well as a bibliographical sketch by Barbara Smith and anecdotal pieces by Gurney Norman and Carol Stumbo.

Silas House has been an important fixture at the annual Appalachian Writers Workshop at Hindman, also founded by Stewart, which focuses on writers and writings about the Appalachian region and recently celebrated its 30th anniversary.  House also wrote for the Summer 2007 issue.  

Kathy May of Charlottesville, Virginia, whose late father, Russell May of Prestonsburg, Kentucky, provided the art for this issue, will also attend the event.

Refreshments will be served beginning at 7:30 p.m. and the reading will start at 8 p.m.  The event, co-sponsored by the Berea College Appalachian Center and the Department of English, Theatre and Speech Communication, is free and all are invited to attend.

Al Stewart went to Berea College after completing his early education at Hindman Settlement School and later attended the University of Kentucky to earn a master’s degree. He taught at Berea College, Morehead State University and Alice Lloyd College. He published his first book of poetry, The Untoward Hills, in 1962. In 1973, he founded “Appalachian Heritage” at Alice Lloyd College and was editor for 12 years. He published his second book of poetry, Holy Season: Walking in the Wild in 1993.

In addition to being a writer, Stewart was an artist and musician. He designed and built dulcimers and created art pieces from natural objects. He was named the Berea College Distinguished Alumnus in 1993, Morehead State University’s Appalachian Treasure in 1995 and was elected to the Knott County Hall of Fame in 1991.

Silas House is the award-wining author of three novels, “Clay’s Quilt” (2001); “A Parchment of Leaves (2003) and “The Coal Tattoo” (2004).  His fourth novel “Eli the Good” will be published in 2008. His writing has also appeared in journals that include Oxford American, Newsday, Bayou, the Louisville Review and others and he was the featured author in the Spring 2004 issue of ”Appalachian Heritage.”  House is also a music journalist, environmental activist and columnist.  House serves as writer-in residence at Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tenn.  Born and raised in Lily, Ky., he continues to live there with his wife and two daughters.

On November 16, Gurney Norman will read in the Commons of the Woods-Penniman Building on the Berea College Campus in celebration of the Fall 2007 issue of Appalachian Heritage featuring the late Thomas Wolfe

For more about “Appalachian Heritage” magazine, and the Berea College Appalachian Center, visit www.berea.edu/appalachiancenter/