About Wildcat:
In this poignant narrative, our protagonist, a retired English teacher, returns to his roots, lured back to the once-shuttered Hotel Wildcat, now revitalized as a collective endeavor. As he ventures through this transformed community, a new world unfolds before his eyes. The former mine, once a symbol of tragedy, now thrives as a flourishing mushroom farm. The dairy emerges as a purveyor of wholesome organic milk products, while the mill stands as a vibrant hub for sustainable and artisanal creations.
Yet amidst this promising rebirth, Wildcat’s ominous history remains inescapable—the haunting era of explosions and closures. Similarly, our protagonist’s own dark past resurfaces, entwined with memories of his working-class girlfriend, an indomitable spirit adorned in the trappings of a resilient hippie chic. As he embarks on the ambitious endeavor of penning his memoir—an intimate chronicle you now hold in your hands—he captures both the triumphs and tragedies of those who grappled with the devastating changes that swept through their lives.
Review:
A retired English teacher returns to the small Appalachian mining town of Wildcat where he lived for a year of high school. During that year, he found friendship, love and witnessed a series of traumatizing events that shook the town and its inhabitants. The mine that the townspeople relied on for their economy blew up, killing three. Leaving soon after for college, the narrator misses the fallout and rebuilding after the explosion. Upon his return, he learns that everything has changed and yet nothing has changed. He falls back in with his friend Dominic and explores the town's new businesses, honey, mushroom ink and leather as well as produce. However, he still must confront the real reason for his return, Carolyn, his high school girlfriend and the ghosts he left in Wildcat.
Wildcat: An Appalachian Romance is an ode to an Appalachian town, it's people and their resilience. The writing is very natural, poetic, and shows a flow of thought as the narrator creates a story that you are experiencing along with him at the moment. It took me a little bit to get into this flow with the writing, but once I was in it, the story moved very quickly. The writing felt very cathartic as the narrator observed the changes to Wildcat since he left and simultaneously reflected on the past of the characters and how Wildcat has sculpted them. I loved the addition of the shadows as characters, an element of magical realism that everyone acknowledged and added to the ambiance of the area. Overall, a beautiful, fast paced story of change and redemption.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
In this poignant narrative, our protagonist, a retired English teacher, returns to his roots, lured back to the once-shuttered Hotel Wildcat, now revitalized as a collective endeavor. As he ventures through this transformed community, a new world unfolds before his eyes. The former mine, once a symbol of tragedy, now thrives as a flourishing mushroom farm. The dairy emerges as a purveyor of wholesome organic milk products, while the mill stands as a vibrant hub for sustainable and artisanal creations.
Yet amidst this promising rebirth, Wildcat’s ominous history remains inescapable—the haunting era of explosions and closures. Similarly, our protagonist’s own dark past resurfaces, entwined with memories of his working-class girlfriend, an indomitable spirit adorned in the trappings of a resilient hippie chic. As he embarks on the ambitious endeavor of penning his memoir—an intimate chronicle you now hold in your hands—he captures both the triumphs and tragedies of those who grappled with the devastating changes that swept through their lives.
Review:
A retired English teacher returns to the small Appalachian mining town of Wildcat where he lived for a year of high school. During that year, he found friendship, love and witnessed a series of traumatizing events that shook the town and its inhabitants. The mine that the townspeople relied on for their economy blew up, killing three. Leaving soon after for college, the narrator misses the fallout and rebuilding after the explosion. Upon his return, he learns that everything has changed and yet nothing has changed. He falls back in with his friend Dominic and explores the town's new businesses, honey, mushroom ink and leather as well as produce. However, he still must confront the real reason for his return, Carolyn, his high school girlfriend and the ghosts he left in Wildcat.
Wildcat: An Appalachian Romance is an ode to an Appalachian town, it's people and their resilience. The writing is very natural, poetic, and shows a flow of thought as the narrator creates a story that you are experiencing along with him at the moment. It took me a little bit to get into this flow with the writing, but once I was in it, the story moved very quickly. The writing felt very cathartic as the narrator observed the changes to Wildcat since he left and simultaneously reflected on the past of the characters and how Wildcat has sculpted them. I loved the addition of the shadows as characters, an element of magical realism that everyone acknowledged and added to the ambiance of the area. Overall, a beautiful, fast paced story of change and redemption.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
About the Author:
Jeffrey Dunn, a literary luminary renowned for his cultural fiction, has mesmerized readers with captivating works like the magical Wildcat, An Appalachian Romance, the critically acclaimed Radio Free Olympia, the enchanting Dream Fishing the Little Spokane, and his mesmerizing collection of poems titled Hubcap Collection Plate. Overcoming dyslexia, Dunn earned a Ph.D. in Culture Studies and English literature, leaving an indelible mark on the literary world during his illustrious forty-one-year teaching and writing career.
Jeffrey Dunn, a literary luminary renowned for his cultural fiction, has mesmerized readers with captivating works like the magical Wildcat, An Appalachian Romance, the critically acclaimed Radio Free Olympia, the enchanting Dream Fishing the Little Spokane, and his mesmerizing collection of poems titled Hubcap Collection Plate. Overcoming dyslexia, Dunn earned a Ph.D. in Culture Studies and English literature, leaving an indelible mark on the literary world during his illustrious forty-one-year teaching and writing career.
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