The Miracle Of Brasstown Valley

A true story of the miraculous creation of a college in a remote mountain valley at the turn of the 19th century and the captivating characters who, with the grace of God, made it happen: The Methodist circuit rider, still in his 20s, who came into the valley on a mule, bringing only a dream and the fierce faith of an Old Testament prophet. The wise, resourceful, soft-spoken widow who breathed life into the infant school not once but twice. The wealthy Methodist laymen whose generosity for Christian education was so great that his kin sued him because they felt left out. The college president, a Shakespearean scholar, who was more at home on the farm with his britches rolled up and shirt tail flapping.

"A survey of Appalachian women poets includes the work of Maggie Anderson, Lisa Coffman, George Ella Lyon, Nikki Giovanni, Jo Carson, Lynn Powell, Barbara Smith, and other female poetic voices. (Poetry)" --

Purt Nigh Gone: The Old Mountain Ways, the latest book by New York Times best-selling author, former U. S. senator and Georgia governor Zell Miller, is about a way of life that once was, but is no more. Time has taken its toll on much of the unique Appalachian mountain culture. Only a remnant now remains. "Purt nigh gone" (pretty near gone) is the region's disappearing dialect, swallowed up by exposure to mass media popular culture. Nearly gone as well is the area's traditional music, its food, its old-time religion, its humor, and even its moonshine. While considering these fading treasures, this book also looks at the Appalachian mountains in their prehistoric times, when they rose higher than the Rockies, at the Cherokees and their removal, at the nation's first gold rush, and at the timeless question of whose mountains these truly are. Finally, Zell Miller leaves us with 101 good reasons for living in these mountains today. But after reading through these remembrances of a time "purt nigh gone," you will hardly need them. These mountains will feel like home already.

Zell Miller was one of the United States’ most respected leaders. His integrity, passion, and commitment to excellence earned the praise of colleagues on both sides of the aisle. Miller often attributed his successes to the value of his formative experience in the Marine Corps as a young man. In his writing and stump speeches, he stated, “In the twelve weeks of hell and transformation that were Marine Corps boot camp, I learned the values of achieving a successful life that have guided and sustained me on the course which, although sometimes checkered and detoured, I have followed ever since.” In Corps Values Miller recounts his life and the simple but powerful lessons he learned in the U.S. Marines: the core values he feels we must embrace if we are to be successful as individuals and as a nation. Only by incorporating such time-honored Marine qualities as pride, discipline, courage, and respect into our personal and professional lives can we meet the challenges that lie ahead. With Corps Values Miller urges us all to go back to “basic training” to reinforce the values that ultimately lead to success in any endeavor.