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Bryson City
Bryson City Seasons: More Tales of a Doctor’s Practice in the Smoky Mountains
Welcome to Bryson City, a small town tucked away in a fold of North Carolina's Smoky Mountains. The scenery is breathtaking, the home cooking can't be beat, the Maroon Devils football team is the pride of the town, and you won't find better steelhead fishing anywhere. But the best part is the people you're about to meet in the pages of Bryson City Seasons . In this joyous sequel to his bestselling Bryson City Tales , Dr. Walt Larimore whisks you along on a journey through the seasons of a Bryson City year. On the way, you'll encounter crusty mountain men, warmhearted townspeople, peppery medical personalities, and the hallmarks of a simpler, more wholesome way of life. Culled from the author's experiences as a young doctor settling into rural medical practice, these captivating stories are a celebration of this richly textured miracle called life. "The whole book is delightful. My only criticism: there wasn't enough of it!" Margaret Brand, MD, co-laborer with Dr. Paul Brand in leprosy work in India
320 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2004
14 people are currently reading
217 people want to read
About the author
Walt Larimore
73 books120 followersDr. Larimore is one of America’s best-known family physicians and is listed in the Best Doctors in America, Who’s Who in Medicine and Healthcare, and the International Health Professionals of the Year. His MD degree is from Louisiana State University, with AOA Honors, while his Family Medicine residency, with an emphasis in Sports Medicine was at the Duke University Medical Center, where he was named one of the top twelve Family Medicine residents in the nation. He also completed a Queen’s Teaching Fellowship in Nottingham, England.
After his training, Dr. Larimore practiced 4 years in the Smoky Mountains before moving to Central Florida to practice for 16 years. From 1993-1994 he served as the President of the Florida Academy of Family Physicians. In 1996, he was named America’s Outstanding Family Medicine Educator by the American Academy of Family Physicians. In 2000, Dr. and Mrs. Larimore were named Educators of the Year by the Christian Medical Association.
The Larimores relocated to Colorado Springs in 2001. Besides practicing family medicine, Dr. Larimore is also an author, educator, and medical journalist. He serves on the adjunct family medicine faculty of the In His Image Family Medicine Residency in Tulsa, Oklahoma and the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver.
As a medical journalist, from 1996 to 2001, Dr. Larimore hosted over 850 episodes of the daily, live Ask the Family Doctor show on Fox’s Health Network, being awarded the prestigious "Gracie" Award by the American Women in Radio and Television. From 2002 to 2004, Dr. Larimore hosted the Focus on Your Family’s Health’s syndicated radio and TV features.
Dr. Larimore is a frequent guest about family health topics on a wide variety of television and radio programs and has appeared on The Today Show, CBS’s Morning Show, several Fox News programs, and CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360. He provides medical commentary for radio stations in Chicago, Orlando, Baltimore, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Tampa, Albuquerque, and Ft. Wayne.
Dr. Larimore has written or edited over twenty books and over 600 articles in a variety of medical journals and lay magazines. His best-selling books include Bryson City Tales, Bryson City Seasons, and Alternative Medicine: The Christian Handbook.
Dr. Larimore co-wrote, with Barb, his childhood sweetheart and wife of over 35 years, His Brain, Her Brain: How divinely designed differences can strengthen your marriage. He also wrote the health chapter for Coach Joe Gibb’s best-selling book Game Plan for Life.
Dr. Larimore’s most recent health book is 10 Essentials of Happy, Healthy People, an undated and revised version of his award winning book 10 Essentials of Highly Healthy People. In 2009 he co-wrote his first novel, Time Scene Investigators: The Gabon Virus, with Paul McCusker. The sequel, Time Scene Investigators: The Influenza Bomb will be released in 2010.
After his training, Dr. Larimore practiced 4 years in the Smoky Mountains before moving to Central Florida to practice for 16 years. From 1993-1994 he served as the President of the Florida Academy of Family Physicians. In 1996, he was named America’s Outstanding Family Medicine Educator by the American Academy of Family Physicians. In 2000, Dr. and Mrs. Larimore were named Educators of the Year by the Christian Medical Association.
The Larimores relocated to Colorado Springs in 2001. Besides practicing family medicine, Dr. Larimore is also an author, educator, and medical journalist. He serves on the adjunct family medicine faculty of the In His Image Family Medicine Residency in Tulsa, Oklahoma and the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver.
As a medical journalist, from 1996 to 2001, Dr. Larimore hosted over 850 episodes of the daily, live Ask the Family Doctor show on Fox’s Health Network, being awarded the prestigious "Gracie" Award by the American Women in Radio and Television. From 2002 to 2004, Dr. Larimore hosted the Focus on Your Family’s Health’s syndicated radio and TV features.
Dr. Larimore is a frequent guest about family health topics on a wide variety of television and radio programs and has appeared on The Today Show, CBS’s Morning Show, several Fox News programs, and CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360. He provides medical commentary for radio stations in Chicago, Orlando, Baltimore, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Tampa, Albuquerque, and Ft. Wayne.
Dr. Larimore has written or edited over twenty books and over 600 articles in a variety of medical journals and lay magazines. His best-selling books include Bryson City Tales, Bryson City Seasons, and Alternative Medicine: The Christian Handbook.
Dr. Larimore co-wrote, with Barb, his childhood sweetheart and wife of over 35 years, His Brain, Her Brain: How divinely designed differences can strengthen your marriage. He also wrote the health chapter for Coach Joe Gibb’s best-selling book Game Plan for Life.
Dr. Larimore’s most recent health book is 10 Essentials of Happy, Healthy People, an undated and revised version of his award winning book 10 Essentials of Highly Healthy People. In 2009 he co-wrote his first novel, Time Scene Investigators: The Gabon Virus, with Paul McCusker. The sequel, Time Scene Investigators: The Influenza Bomb will be released in 2010.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
May 7, 2025
Walt Larimore was a general practitioner in the hamlet of Bryson City, North Carolina and this book continues his recollections of patients and episodes as a young doctor in his first official medical job. Although it’s a sequel to his first book, the reader doesn’t need to know anything about the doctor and the local residents to understand and enjoy the stories. As a young practitioner, he was invited to join the medical establishment in Bryson City, but he had to face the jealousy and anger of the older doctors already employed there and that alone makes for an interesting read.
Larimore uses the seasons as his chapters, so we can learn how the different weather patterns and time of year affect his medical practice. Immediately, we learn about the danger of summer when the good doctor is called to a scene of an accident where a tree was being felled. The description of the dead man standing is horrifying, reminding one to never cut down a tree on the wrong side. There is also the story of how loneliness and anger can accelerate the increase of heart disease, as he relates the story of locals who died because they couldn’t accept their current living standards.
As the book progresses into the rest of the year, Larimore finds himself gaining more respect from some of the older doctors, which makes his life a bit easier. He also has a daughter who was born with disabilities and his relating how it almost tore apart his marriage is riveting. Imagine being a doctor who is unable to use one’s medical skills to prevent a birth that was meant to be? His eventual acceptance and love for his children creates a stronger relationship with his wife. As a reader, I was hoping it wouldn’t get too goopy, but he stays the course and learns how his own circumstances can actually become a strength.
The author is also religious, so he sometimes prays for and with his patients. But again, it never gets overwhelming to the point that the reader is rolling their eyes. Bryson City is part of Appalachia, where old customs and strong religious faith play a part in everyday life. We’re talking about a very small town, so it was amazing to learn how many doctors were actually employed there during Larimore’s residence (seems to be around the 1980s and 1990s).
I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book as I added it because of the cover art. I like to read non-fiction about small towns because it’s completely alien to me. Needless to say, I was very much absorbed in the book, eagerly turning the pages to learn about the quirky locals and the adversities they faced.
Book Season = Year Round (gentle breezes)
Larimore uses the seasons as his chapters, so we can learn how the different weather patterns and time of year affect his medical practice. Immediately, we learn about the danger of summer when the good doctor is called to a scene of an accident where a tree was being felled. The description of the dead man standing is horrifying, reminding one to never cut down a tree on the wrong side. There is also the story of how loneliness and anger can accelerate the increase of heart disease, as he relates the story of locals who died because they couldn’t accept their current living standards.
As the book progresses into the rest of the year, Larimore finds himself gaining more respect from some of the older doctors, which makes his life a bit easier. He also has a daughter who was born with disabilities and his relating how it almost tore apart his marriage is riveting. Imagine being a doctor who is unable to use one’s medical skills to prevent a birth that was meant to be? His eventual acceptance and love for his children creates a stronger relationship with his wife. As a reader, I was hoping it wouldn’t get too goopy, but he stays the course and learns how his own circumstances can actually become a strength.
The author is also religious, so he sometimes prays for and with his patients. But again, it never gets overwhelming to the point that the reader is rolling their eyes. Bryson City is part of Appalachia, where old customs and strong religious faith play a part in everyday life. We’re talking about a very small town, so it was amazing to learn how many doctors were actually employed there during Larimore’s residence (seems to be around the 1980s and 1990s).
I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book as I added it because of the cover art. I like to read non-fiction about small towns because it’s completely alien to me. Needless to say, I was very much absorbed in the book, eagerly turning the pages to learn about the quirky locals and the adversities they faced.
Book Season = Year Round (gentle breezes)
January 26, 2009
In this second book in Dr. Larimore's Bryson City series, he delves more deeply into the role spirituality plays in healing. For quite awhile, I've believed that the body, soul and mind are so interconnected that you can't address healing in one aspect without considering the others. Having a Christian belief system, I understand that God created man in His image. We speak of the holy trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is a mystery how one God can exist in three persons - but since we are made in His image, I've tended to think of it kind of like our own mind (similar to the Father's role), body (the Son of God Incarnate), and soul (similar to the Holy Spirit). All three aspects of each human being have separate roles, yet they exist in one person.
Anyway, having this belief system made me especially intrigued in Dr. Larimore's book as he explored similar ideas and put them into use in his medical practice, when it was appropriate to do so. I am hoping this is a trend that is gaining momentum . . . or maybe it is more common in smaller towns. I lived in major metropolitan areas for 14 years and found the doctors to be very scientific in their approach; "caring" came more from the nurses and nursing assistants. But in the small-town practice that I go to now, there is much more emphasis on the docs getting to know me as a whole person, not just a body with physical symptoms to diagnose and treat.
Along with the doctor's exploration of whole-person healing, his book includes some amusing and interesting anecdotes and a deeply personal look at his family life, including his beautiful daughter who had a strong enough spirit to overcome a physical disability far more than anticipated. As far as anecdotes, one involving bobcats was my favorite.
The doctor's writing seems to capture the hearts and souls of the people who lived in this small town, as well as those who lived even more remotely in the mountains. It is amazing to see the advances that have been made in medicine, too, during my lifetime. Things that were new when Dr. Larimore began his practice have become widespread now (unfortunately, like the first case of AIDS he dealt with). In all of his encounters with patients and neighbors, Dr. Larimore writes with compassion and a deep desire to help the individuals in his community.
Believe me, if you've read this far in my comments, you should read this book! It is well worth it.
Anyway, having this belief system made me especially intrigued in Dr. Larimore's book as he explored similar ideas and put them into use in his medical practice, when it was appropriate to do so. I am hoping this is a trend that is gaining momentum . . . or maybe it is more common in smaller towns. I lived in major metropolitan areas for 14 years and found the doctors to be very scientific in their approach; "caring" came more from the nurses and nursing assistants. But in the small-town practice that I go to now, there is much more emphasis on the docs getting to know me as a whole person, not just a body with physical symptoms to diagnose and treat.
Along with the doctor's exploration of whole-person healing, his book includes some amusing and interesting anecdotes and a deeply personal look at his family life, including his beautiful daughter who had a strong enough spirit to overcome a physical disability far more than anticipated. As far as anecdotes, one involving bobcats was my favorite.
The doctor's writing seems to capture the hearts and souls of the people who lived in this small town, as well as those who lived even more remotely in the mountains. It is amazing to see the advances that have been made in medicine, too, during my lifetime. Things that were new when Dr. Larimore began his practice have become widespread now (unfortunately, like the first case of AIDS he dealt with). In all of his encounters with patients and neighbors, Dr. Larimore writes with compassion and a deep desire to help the individuals in his community.
Believe me, if you've read this far in my comments, you should read this book! It is well worth it.
February 18, 2019
additional great stories of Dr in small town. Also showed more about his family and their faith. How as a Dad and as a DR different points of view and sometimes the same about his daughter's disability.
December 31, 2024
Love the entire series! Small town doc experiences. Saw the home where he & family lived on hospital hill in Bryson City NC.
July 14, 2017
I really enjoyed this book and the first one in this series. The characters are delightful to read about.
May 25, 2018
It's a continuation of the story he began in Bryson City Tales. You learn more about Kate, and her medical problems. There's more of the same small town hospital and just small town stuff. Larimore gets kind of preachy in this one, but it's still an interesting story. I somehow doubt that in the midst of all this stuff he had the deep, intricate thoughts he attributes to himself. And I think both he and his wife are kind of annoying. Yet, it's like a slightly over zealous neighbor. They're interesting, entertaining, not bad neighbors and dang, I'm glad I'm not married to either of them.
October 26, 2020
Intimate and encouraging
The small town episodes were delightful and amusing, intimate and insightful. The perspectives of a newcomer doctor are portrayed with compassion. I found my own attitude was lifted and encouraged as I read through the quirky encounters, as well as the trials and discoveries when Walt’s very human responses reveal stumbling blocks of tradition, habit and prejudices. His honest self appraisal presented an example to follow. Quite enjoyable.
The small town episodes were delightful and amusing, intimate and insightful. The perspectives of a newcomer doctor are portrayed with compassion. I found my own attitude was lifted and encouraged as I read through the quirky encounters, as well as the trials and discoveries when Walt’s very human responses reveal stumbling blocks of tradition, habit and prejudices. His honest self appraisal presented an example to follow. Quite enjoyable.
January 15, 2020
I enjoyed hearing of Dr. Walt's life in NC and the medical encounters he had. As a person in medicine, I learned some things, laughed, and cried as we went through the years covered in the 3 books. Highly recommended even for non-medical people as he explains things in terms everyone can understand.
September 27, 2021
It was OK, like the first book. I confess to skimming the fishing chapters. The story of their daughter's surgery was interesting, and I liked the chapters of medical situations. The "Miss Flame" contest was a negative to me. No wonder those men who participated felt self conscious. I'll probably read book 3, because they are somewhat interesting, but to say I'm "hooked" is too strong.
August 14, 2025
Just as enjoyable and charming as his first book, I enjoyed the tales from Bryson City. The people, cases, and stories are real-life, sometimes gritty, and always grounded in Christian ideals. My wife and I both enjoyed these books and hope they continue to gain readers. Positive but not overlooking the struggles of life. Excellent.
May 8, 2017
Delightful, heartwarming, charming, engaging - what's not to like? I can hardly wait to find the prequel and the sequel! As the last chapter ends, the reader is aware that there is more to come, and not all of it is good!
November 28, 2020
Another enjoyable memoir from the Smoky Mountain doctor in Bryson City, NC. I may react to these books more than many because of the memories spent in Bryson City that are held dear in my memory bank. However, Dr. Larimore's stories move me to laugh and to cry, and they teach as well as entertain. There's lots of medical detail, but I found this just to add to the relevance of the life and times in Bryson City during the time he writes. It reveals the difficulties and the joys of a small town family doctor who has chosen a life of service rather than a practice with more financial reward and less struggles.
May 10, 2017
continuation of a sweet story of how a new physician moves into his practice, marriage and faith.
Very well written
Very well written
September 20, 2017
Still enjoying the series. Easy read.
June 18, 2019
Since we have visited Bryson City a few times and it is where we spent our Honeymoon, I love hearing about the places there but in story form. I love this book and am sure I will love the series.
May 5, 2020
3-1/2*
July 10, 2020
Entertaining real stories about a small town doctor in North Carolina
September 21, 2021
Enjoyable, wholesome read.
November 1, 2021
Easy read chapters - simple USA rural life - good moral advice
May 18, 2022
Absolutely loved this one. He may blend fact and fiction, but it's all totally real, none-the-less.
November 26, 2022
Some interesting stories, but the conversations were cheesy. I just couldn’t finish it.
December 30, 2022
I personally enjoyed the initial book more, although this was quite good.
July 23, 2024
great
August 22, 2025
3.5 stars
This is a cozily set true narrative of a doctor in the mountains of North Carolina. The stories are interesting, but this book certainly has a more religious bend than the first book. It’s also important to keep in mind the time period the books were taking place. The “drag” show and handling of a gay patient with AIDS was a little cringy, but I don’t think it was an uncommon reaction for the time period.
Again, there were definitely some red flags, but it is a true to life depiction of small town mountain life for those interested.
This is a cozily set true narrative of a doctor in the mountains of North Carolina. The stories are interesting, but this book certainly has a more religious bend than the first book. It’s also important to keep in mind the time period the books were taking place. The “drag” show and handling of a gay patient with AIDS was a little cringy, but I don’t think it was an uncommon reaction for the time period.
Again, there were definitely some red flags, but it is a true to life depiction of small town mountain life for those interested.
March 29, 2011
I enjoyed the book. As a nurse, it was interesting to read about the first times he treated someone with toxic shock sydrome, AIDS, and flesh eating bacteria. He treated people before he had even read about it in medical literature. Dr. Larimore describes the politics of medicine and the sad part is that it exists everywhere and makes life very difficult for some doctors. I didn't like the end when he describes some changes that were coming in his life. Just sounded like he wanted to write another book and have the reader hooked into it.
May 21, 2012
What an uplifting and enjoyable read. HIs stories are fun and intersting. Lots of good upbeat storytelling. I am now ready to enjoy the 3rd in this series. The emotions he shares in his tales are full of vibrant details. His views of the surrounding beauty of the mountains help my personal reflections on hiking trips I have had in the Smokey Mountains. This was a feel good read.
August 13, 2016
Book 2 in this series is just as delightful as book #1. Walk along with Dr. Larimore as he enhances his ways to treat patients in a medical, spiritual, and caring manner. He treats diseases, such as AIDS, that are common place today but were ground breaking and unknown then. Can't wait to begin book #3!
July 19, 2009
I'm not sure if I did a review of the original, "Bryson City Tales" but both books were an entertaining read. If you enjoy nonfiction tales of the medical world, mixed with some wonderful Christian insight, these are the books for you.
November 23, 2008
(book, true accounts)
a. Again, another book about the life of Dr. Walt Larimore in and around his practice in Bryson City. – 5 STARS
a. Again, another book about the life of Dr. Walt Larimore in and around his practice in Bryson City. – 5 STARS
November 24, 2009
Not quite as good as the first book because it had some of the same stories, but still very entertaining.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews