Uneven Ground: Appalachia since 1945

Eller goes into great detail about how politics have affected Appalachia’s region. It’s a wonderful, comprehensive read of Appalachia’s struggles to escape poverty. This book gives you a solid background in Appalachia’s political and economical struggles from 1945 to present. He dives into many common myths and stereotypes about Appalachia’s people and culture to expel these falsities. I think his book is best summed up with this quote, “Appalachia was not different from the rest of America; it was in fact a mirror of what the nation was becoming.”

The book was incredibly interesting. I purchased for an Appalachian studies course I was taking, to gain further insight into the history of the area post Great Depression. While it provided lots of useful information, the last three chapters were the author regurgitating information already shared in earlier text and he often referred to certain organizations in abbreviation well after readers could remember what they even stood for because there were so many (and the abbreviations were never revisited as to their actual names). I felt the book was also disorganized as the author explains subjects and events extremely out of chronoligical order-likely part of the reasoning for the repetition as well. 3/5 from me.

Living in eastern Kentucky and working in economic/community development I have dealt with much of what Eller talks about and explains better than any other author.This book is a must read for anybody who wants to understand America as we crash head long into another century of conflicting values and goals as a people. Eller's central idea- that the reason much of Appalachia has not "succeeded" is because many here continue to value success differently is thought provoking to say the least. This is a region where connection to and a rootedness in place and family are more important than consumerism (consumerism is still important- this is America after all.) Too much has been decided by outsiders trying to make Appalachia into something that many here don't want this place to become, or the locally powerful who don't want the things to change. You may not agree with some of his conclusions or views but you need to read this book if you want to even begin to understand one of the most culturally complex regions in the country.

A masterpiece of cogent subtlety. Dr. Eller, a native of Appalachia shows his passion and concern for an area of the U.S. (constructed as a region) that is closest to his heart. Much like colonies of Britain or France, Appalachia has been robbed of its rich natural resources. Still, rather than leading a vitriolic campaign directly against industries that have plundered the region e.g. coal, timber, and mica Dr. Eller seems more interested in finding a sustainable alternative. To be sure, proponents of the continued use of dwindling fossil fuel reserves will have problems with this book, but the simple truth is that we can't continue to stay the course if we want to ensure this to be a world that our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren can live to see and enjoy, in all its natural beauty.

This book reminded me of the classic "Night Comes to the Cumberlands". It deals with the social and economic development of Appalachia in a very thorough, but very readable way. I thought it was EXCELLENT and a must-read for anyone interested in the subject of Appalachia from a social, economic and historical perspective. The afterword is particularly interesting, in that it discusses the critical question: "What's next"?

Provides the rest of the social/economic history following his excellent first book. Well researched and full of local references. Offers explanations for questions I've had about the region. Glad I read it and wish more would.

This book gives incredible insight into the history of Appalachia and what has caused many of the issue the region faces to this day.

This is probably a well written account of how the people of Appalachia have been taken advantage of ... but, it's boring. I bought it after reading Hillbilly Elegy in the hopes of getting a historical account of what happened but couldn't make it past Chapter 2.