Focusing on the historical evolution of the Ozark region, this book delves into the area's past from the early nineteenth century to the late twentieth century. It critically analyzes how outsiders have shaped and often distorted the perception of the Ozarks, leading to stereotypes and misunderstandings. Through comprehensive research, Brooks Blevins provides a nuanced understanding of the local culture and history, challenging preconceived notions and offering a richer narrative of the Arkansas Ozarks.
Brooks Blevins, an expert in Ozarks Studies, explores the rich history and cultural identity of the Ozarks region through his scholarly works. His notable publications include a comprehensive history of the Ozarks, an examination of murder and memory in the area, and a study of how various groups shaped Arkansas's identity. Blevins' research delves into the complexities of regional narratives and the interplay of local culture and history.
Between the world wars, America embraced an image of the Ozarks as a remote land of hills and hollers. The popular imagination stereotyped Ozarkers as ridge runners, hillbillies, and pioneers—a cast of colorful throwbacks hostile to change. But the real Ozarks reflected a more complex reality. Brooks Blevins tells the cultural history of the Ozarks as a regional variation of an American story. As he shows, the experiences of the Ozarkers have not diverged from the currents of mainstream life as sharply or consistently as the mythmakers would have it. If much of the region seemed to trail behind by a generation, the time lag was rooted more in poverty and geographic barriers than a conscious rejection of the modern world and its progressive spirit. In fact, the minority who clung to the old days seemed exotic largely because their anachronistic ways clashed against the backdrop of the evolving region around them. Blevins explores how these people’s disproportionate influence affected the creation of the idea of the Ozarks, and reveals the truer idea that exists at the intersection of myth and reality. The conclusion to the acclaimed trilogy, The History of the Ozarks, Volume 3: The Ozarkers offers an authoritative appraisal of the modern Ozarks and its people.
Focusing on the evolution of cattle raising in Alabama, this comprehensive history traces the industry's growth from colonial times to the present. It situates Alabama's cattle farming within the larger frameworks of Southern and American agricultural history, highlighting significant developments and cultural impacts over the centuries. The book offers a detailed examination of how cattle raising has shaped the state's economy and society, providing valuable insights into regional agricultural practices.
Brooks Blevins, a prominent scholar from the Arkansas Ozarks, explores the cultural and historical identity of the region through his academic work. As the Noel Boyd Professor of Ozarks Studies, he has authored significant texts that delve into the lives of bear hunters, hillbillies, and the broader narrative of Arkansas's image. His previous works, including "Arkansas/Arkansaw" and "Hill Folks," highlight the unique characteristics and perceptions of Ozarkers, contributing to a deeper understanding of this distinctive American culture.
Winner of the Missouri History Book Award, from the State Historical Society of Missouri Winner of the Arkansiana Award, from the Arkansas Library Association Geologic forces raised the Ozarks. Myth enshrouds these hills. Human beings shaped them and were shaped by them. The Ozarks reflect the epic tableau of the American people—the native Osage and would-be colonial conquerors, the determined settlers and on-the-make speculators, the endless labors of hardscrabble farmers and capitalism of visionary entrepreneurs. The Old Ozarks is the first volume of a monumental three-part history of the region and its inhabitants. Brooks Blevins begins in deep prehistory, charting how these highlands of granite, dolomite, and limestone came to exist. From there he turns to the political and economic motivations behind the eagerness of many peoples to possess the Ozarks. Blevins places these early proto-Ozarkers within the context of larger American history and the economic, social, and political forces that drove it forward. But he also tells the varied and colorful human stories that fill the region's storied past—and contribute to the powerful myths and misunderstandings that even today distort our views of the Ozarks' places and people. A sweeping history in the grand tradition, A History of the Ozarks, Volume 1: The Old Ozarks is essential reading for anyone who cares about the highland heart of America.
