"As I dig up stories of my kin and trace their lines and land and peculiarities," writes essayist Jeremy B. Jones, "I try to pin down the qualities and actions that make me a result of this place." This place to which he's returned is near the base of Bearwallow Mountain in North Carolina, the land of his forefathers--an eclectic mix of mountain men who fought on both sides of the Civil War and the strong women who held down the homesteads.
Jones delves into the history of the land and the relationships among the Irish, Scottish and Cherokee people who called it home. In particular, he focuses his attention on Bearwallow, a mountain peak he often viewed as a boy. He recalls it as "smothered in snow," patrolled by "a giant black bear, silent but strong" that circled the peak. Intertwining reminiscences of his childhood, stories from his grandparents of times gone by, his memories of working as an English teacher in Honduras and his new position as an ESL teacher in his old elementary school, Jones tries to find himself in the ever-changing landscape.
His narrative is haunting and evocative, full of rich details of the natural scenery and the history of a population that can trace its heritage back hundreds of years. As he examines the controversy over land developers who want to build an exclusive "community" on the peak of the mountain, Jones reflects on how that action will change the entire region and realizes just how deep his roots run into the subsoil. --Lee E. Cart, freelance writer and book reviewer