The Foxfire Book of Simple Living: Celebrating Fifty Years of Listenin', Laughin', and Learnin'

by Foxfire Fund Inc

First published in 1972, The Foxfire Book was a surprise bestseller that brought Appalachia's philosophy of simple living to hundreds of thousands of readers. Whether you wanted to hunt game, bake the old-fashioned way, or learn the art of successful moonshining, The Foxfire Museum and Heritage Center had a contact who could teach you how with clear, step-by-step instructions.

Today, Foxfire's mission remains the same, and The Foxfire Book of Simple Living is both a rich look back at five decades of collected wisdom, as well as an intriguing look forward at the artists and craftsman who are working to preserve the Appalachian tradition for future generations. We hear from doll and soap makers who continue to use and adapt the time-tested methods outlined in The Foxfire Book , not to mention hunters, blacksmiths, musicians, and carpenters whose respect for those who preceded them enhances their own art. We see how the mountain community has responded to the films, books, and plays that have tried (and sometimes failed) to represent them. And, above all, by listening to the voices of those who came before, we celebrate the people who have preserved the stories, crafts, and customs that define life in the Appalachian mountain region.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Folklore

592 pages, Paperback

Published August 23, 2016

Reviews

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 3 out of 5]

A half century of Foxfire magazine and the Foxfire program is rehashed in this work. There are many short summaries of skills, crafts, and people of the Appalachians encountered over the years, Included are mare short interviews and quotes. Some basic skills such as doll and soap making are discussed but the book is mainly about the people.

[William Schram · Rating 4 out of 5]

This charming book was rather quaint and cozy to sit through. The biggest problem with a lot of old skills is that they are dying out since no one wants to learn them anymore. Take Blacksmithing for example. Long ago, blacksmithing was the only way to get metal products and it was hard work. Nowadays there aren't many people that want to devote the time and effort to learn how to blacksmith. This book of a collection of folksy wisdom and skills that they used in the Appalachian Mountains to survive and thrive. Many of them were never rich, but that wasn't what it was all about. It was about living life simply and honestly. Given the Big Box mentality that many people tend to have in the United States, I suppose this book resonated with me a bit.

So if you want to know how to make your own soap, there is a recipe in this book. If you want to know about folk art, there is a section devoted to that. The book actually made me want to visit this area for myself, though I can't imagine going all the way to Georgia or South Carolina.

[D · Rating 5 out of 5]

For those who don't know what the Foxfire project is about, see here https://www.foxfire.org/

This little gem is a combination of contributions from those living in the southern Appalachian mountains, through interviews carried out for the Foxfire magazine since the late 1960's by students. This book is mainly about the people themselves and their day to day lives growing up in a time where families of 10 or 12 lived on earnings of 60 cents a day, but also includes descriptions about trades such as blacksmithing.

Really impressed with the longevity of this program, and looking forward to reading other articles from the series.

[Cheryl]

Mostly interviews, very little of the pictures and instructions I thought that I remembered seeing in this series. Well, we'll see what the others I found have.

[Jeffrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Old timey Appalachian culture. Interesting.

[Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the stories that people are passing down about how it was in the old days. I wish I had my grandparents and parents here to ask them related questions to get them to talk about the old days. So interesting. You don't read this stuff in history books! Lots of mini biographies.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review can be found on Amazon.com as part of the Vine program.