A History of the Ozarks, Volume 3

The Ozarkers

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Pub Date 14 Dec 2021 | Archive Date 01 Dec 2021

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Description

Between the world wars, America embraced an image of the Ozarks as a remote land of hills and hollers. The popular imagination stereotyped Ozarkers as ridge runners, hillbillies, and pioneers—a cast of colorful throwbacks hostile to change. But the real Ozarks reflected a more complex reality.

Brooks Blevins tells the cultural history of the Ozarks as a regional variation of an American story. As he shows, the experiences of the Ozarkers have not diverged from the currents of mainstream life as sharply or consistently as the mythmakers would have it. If much of the region seemed to trail behind by a generation, the time lag was rooted more in poverty and geographic barriers than a conscious rejection of the modern world and its progressive spirit. In fact, the minority who clung to the old days seemed exotic largely because their anachronistic ways clashed against the backdrop of the evolving region around them. Blevins explores how these people’s disproportionate influence affected the creation of the idea of the Ozarks, and reveals the truer idea that exists at the intersection of myth and reality.

The conclusion to the acclaimed trilogy, The History of the Ozarks, Volume 3: The Ozarkers offers an authoritative appraisal of the modern Ozarks and its people.

Between the world wars, America embraced an image of the Ozarks as a remote land of hills and hollers. The popular imagination stereotyped Ozarkers as ridge runners, hillbillies, and pioneers—a cast...


Advance Praise

Praise for Past Volumes: 

"A well-researched and detailed account of the violent life of the Ozarks during and after the Civil War." --St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"Blevins draws on an impressive array of sources to craft a deeply researched story that he tells with insight and verve. . . . The end result is a significant contribution that surely will serve as the standard telling of the era for many years to come." --Arkansas Historical Quarterly

"With a detailed and captivating narrative, Blevins strategically inserts scholarly research to underscore his points. . . . Civil War historians and regional scholars alike will enjoy his second volume on the history of the Ozarks." --Journal of Southern History

"A History of the Ozarks will undoubtedly become the standard history of that upland region for years to come." --Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette

Praise for Past Volumes: 

"A well-researched and detailed account of the violent life of the Ozarks during and after the Civil War." --St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"Blevins draws on an impressive array of...


Available Editions

EDITION Other Format
ISBN 9780252044052
PRICE $34.95 (USD)
PAGES 344

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Featured Reviews

I received this book for free for an honest review from netgalley #netgalley

Since I live in the Ozarks this was very informative and I really enjoyed the history of the land.

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A History of the Ozarks, Volume 3, by Brooks Blevins was received directly from the publisher and I chose to review it. This is the third of a series of books about the Ozark Mountain region of northern Arkansas and Southern Missouri. I grew up in that region so I immediately accepted the offer to read and review it. The book covers a lot of topics over the last 150 years or so, such as the importance of trains in the area, the different kinds of crops grown and carried by those trains. As well as timber exploitation, mining's importance to the region and even amusement parks in the area. The small town I grew up in, with less than 500 people was even mentioned in the book. If you, or someone you buy books for is interested in the Ozark Mountain region or simply American history in general, get this book and read it.


4 Stars

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A History of the Ozarks, Volume 3: The Ozarkers offers an authoritative appraisal of the modern Ozarks and its people. Blevins' writing is enjoyable to read and well-researched. This final volume in the trilogy leaves readers with a deeper appreciation of the Ozarks and a more nuanced understanding of the complexities of regional identity. Whether you are a history enthusiast or simply interested in debunking stereotypes, "The Ozarkers" is an illuminating exploration of a region that has often been misunderstood and misrepresented. Brooks Blevins' work brings to life the intersection of myth and reality in the Ozarks, revealing a more accurate and compelling picture of its history and people.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a temporary digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

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