The Unsettling of America
Shiloh and Other Stories

Kinfolks

Kinfolks is a novelistic collection of short stories centered around Wilgus Collier, a young boy growing up in rural Kentucky during the 1940s and 1950s. The stories follow Wilgus from childhood into his early adulthood, exploring his relationships with his extended family and his Appalachian community. Gurney Norman introduces readers to Wilgus’s world through a series of vignettes that depict experiences with his family, particularly his parents and grandparents. These stories highlight the challenges and joys of rural life, offering a poignant look at complex family dynamics and the deep-rooted traditions of Appalachia. Throughout the book, Norman’s writing is characterized by its rich, evocative descriptions of the Appalachian landscape and its authentic portrayal of the region’s culture and people. Kinfolks–adapted for the screen as The Wilgus Stories–is celebrated for vivid storytelling that captures the essence of life in Kentucky coal country.

More Adult, Non-Juvenile Books

  • The Women tells the story of Frances “Frankie” McGrath, a twenty-year-old nursing student who joins the Army Nurse Corps during the Vietnam War. As she navigates the chaos and destruction of war, Frankie discovers her own strength and idealism, ultimately facing the challenges of returning to a divided America. This novel illuminates the sacrifices of women in service and their enduring impact on history.

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  • This National Book Award–winning story, a tour de force of historical reportage and narrative nonfiction, rescues an iconic chapter of American history—the Dust Bowl that terrorized the High Plains in the darkest years of the Depression—from the shadows.

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