By “ridge running” the author, who was born in 1945, means his adventures leaving his home town of Knoxville and running the ridges in his car to check out what was happening in the surrounding countryside. The book starts with some of the adventures of his parents, and then his ventures on a bicycle as a boy. It accelerates as he obtains his driver’s license. It follows his adventures until 1972 when, still in his twenties, and quitting his job at the Knoxville Journal – which provided ample opportunities for him to indulge in his ridge running high school habits - he leaves the Knoxville area first for Europe and then for a newspaper career in major American metropolitan markets. As a newspaper journalist Chris Wohlwend has a keen eye for the interesting human-interest story whether his subject is a Playboy bunny, a moonshiner, a preacher, a football hero or a cockfighter. “Chris Wohlwend’s memoir is a time-traveling joy ride through his singular vision of the South, one filled with colorful characters, dazzling storytelling and scenes that are at once gonzo and profound.” Drew Jubera.
Knoxville, Tennessee: Keystroke Press, 2019. 247 pages with photos. Trade paperback.