The release of John Inscoe’s fifth book on Appalachia is a much-anticipated occasion in regional scholarship, as the first four books by this University of Georgia history professor – now emeritus - brought our understanding of our region dramatically forward. This book broadens the scope of his contribution well beyond its previous moorings in race and Civil War. His relatively positive perspective on Hollywood’s portrayal of the region again offers a fresh and helpful overview. The six chapters focus on how Hollywood has portrayed six vital aspects of regional life: land, race, the Civil War, feuds, women, and coal. “Movie-Made Appalachia is an important addition to the growing scholarship on representation, cinema, and Appalachia. John C. Inscoe's particular perspective as a historian situates his readings of films in a deep context that moves beyond Hollywood. Guiding readers through central topics and moments in Appalachian history, Inscoe provides depth of analysis and connections between related films. An important contribution to the field."-Meredith McCarroll. “With Movie-Made Appalachia, John Inscoe has opened the door for thorough analysis of regionally relevant films that have often been overlooked for full critical treatment. Inscoe's work deserves much appreciation for its historical contextualization of film representation of Appalachian people and culture."-J. W. Williamson.
Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press, 2020. 239 pages with an Index, Notes, and photos., Trade paperback.