Crapalachia: A Biography of a Place | 
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Bought this for the incredible title and cover, stayed for the quirky, yet heartfelt stories. It claims “biography,” but is more so personal essays with a bit of embellishment. I‘m okay with that as the author points it all out in the afterword. Combining characters, etc, can make for better stories. This is not unusual. These snippets into McClanahan‘s formative years entertained, yet broke my heart.
pickScott McClanahan and his works are like the guy in high school your dad demanded you stay away from, but you just can't. He's hilarious, deep, heartbreaking. You cringe, yet you can't turn away because he is everything.
pickTwo Dollar Radio was the small press recommended to me when I took the bookriot independent press quiz. This is my first read from this publisher. Enjoyed it very much.
Oops, I did it again. This is what we have left. 😩 Candy party at my house tomorrow. BYOB.
panColorful characters and anecdotes, written with about as much care and crafting as I put into composing a grocery list. Linked together with all-caps sentence-long exclamatory headings that presumably were meant to be cute. Worst of all, punctuated by vomit-worthy passages of sentimentality that, whether they were intended to be ironic or not, simply stank. This was a piece of crapalachia.
OH MY GOD SOMEBODY PLEASE SHOOT ME NOW! I've only got 15 or 20 pages left and I'm really not sure if I can stomach finishing it…
With crapalachian writing like this, I second his wife's question!
Sadly, I'm probably going to pan this book in spite of gems like this…
I hate to say but there is a lot of schlocky sentiment and really shitty writing like this and it's ruining the book for me....
pickFinished this book on my planning time today and I can't say enough good things about it. It's a window into one of the ( or just 'the') most impoverished parts of the US, it's a historical accounting of all the mining catastrophes, it's a coming of age story and it is depressing and hopeful. It is laugh out loud funny and put down because you need a minute to process. It is small but it is powerful. Well done
Yes sir, 'toboggan' means a wool cap, toque, or beanie, in at least some parts of the American South. Who knew!
OMG! 😍😍
Taylor Books in Charleston WV helped kick-off the downtown's revitalization over 20 years ago. In addition to new and used books, they sell great gifts, have an art gallery, are a source for Charleston Brewing Co. beers, host a variety of special events - including Scott McClanahan's reading of Crapalachia and this summer's visit from Stephen King - and much more than 451 characters allows. #getindie
I just noticed three of my favorite regional authors are on the shelf together at the local bookstore: Lee Maynard (if you haven't yet, read Crum now), Scott McClanahan (Crapalachia is brilliant), and Marie Manilla (The Patron Saint of Ugly is magical).
#funfridayphoto
Scott McClanahan reminds me of myself in this memoir, because on the surface he's self-deprecating and crass, but under that he's overwhelmed by emotion for the people he's none and the places he's been.
(Track down this book, it's FANTASTIC)
pickI have so many positive things to say about this memoir 300 characters just won't do. Just read it because it's hilarious & heartbreaking & poetic & not like anything you've read before. I want to read more books like this & that's the best compliment I can give. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Y'all, this is modern Southern gothic at its finest! A little Flannery, a little Faulkner, a lot of hilarity, and several modern twists. I don't want this book to end!!
