The author grew up in Frostburg, Maryland, and attended Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine. True, Frostburg is way up North for Southern Appalachia, and a regional university is its largest employer, but it is in Allegany County where Donald J. Trump secured 72% of the vote in 2016. Outside of his hometown is an incomplete structure with signs indicating that it is Noah’s Ark under construction. Some of the mountains near Frostburg rise over 3,000 feet, higher than the elevation in many Appalachian localities. Yes, Morgan Edwards does have Appalachian bona fides. And Bowdoin really is a selective liberal arts college way up in New England. This is a memoir of a young man who is forthright and has put considerable thought into the cultural divides of today’s America. "In An Outlier's Tribe, Morgan Edwards brings both head and heart in his analysis of the politics and people of his native Appalachia. It is a smart, well-written book that brings intellectual and emotional depth to a topic that is so poorly understood and which has implications for communities in all of America's 50 states." -- Alec Ross. "Morgan Edwards possesses the rare ability to weave together personal experience and broad ideas, uncovering the complexity of Appalachia and many of its current issues. In An Outlier's Tribe, Morgan provokes thought and conversation during this critical time in our country's history." -- Sally Rubin. "Morgan Edwards' thoughtful reflections provide a much needed window and youthful spotlight on great social challenges of our times.” – Bradley Babson.
Potomac, Maryland: New Degree Press, 2020. 146 pages. Trade paperback.