North Carolina Cooking

Thanksgiving is coming up fast, have you decided what you're serving this year? If not, why not consider some North Carolina recipes?

The NC Literary Map has a genre dedicated to Carolina cooking, where you can find special recipes from the mountains to the coast. You could try out Mama Dip's Kitchen, a cookbook written by famed cook Mildred Council. It features over 250 recipes, with everything from old-fashioned Southern chicken pie to traditional desserts. Or consider Victuals: An Appalachian Journey by Ronni Lundi, which features a collection of Appalachian recipes as well as information about the history and culture of the region.

You can find dozens of North Carolina cookbooks at the NC Literary Map which are sure to inspire your inner chef. If one looks promising, check it out at your local bookstore or library. Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

UNCG's Gorman and Smith Represent the North Carolina Literary Map at NCWN Conference

Dr. Keith Gorman, Head of Special Collections and Archives at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro and Kathelene Smith, UNCG's Instruction and Outreach Archivist and Assistant Professor represented the North Carolina Literary Map at the 2018 North Carolina Writers' Conference, November 2-4 in Charlotte, NC. The North Carolina Writers' Network connects writers across North Carolina with education, recognition, and critique opportunities and resources.

Below, Dr. Gorman is pictured with North Carolina playwright, actor, composer, and essayist, Shelley Stolaroff Segal.

Haunted North Carolina

Happy Halloween to our NC Literary Map followers!

Regardless of how you spend your Halloween, ghost stories are always an excellent way to get into the Halloween spirit. North Carolina is home to dozens of ghost stories, and one of the most persistent tales is the story of Lydia, the Phantom Hitchhiker. According to local tales, she haunted the stretch of road along the US 70-A south of Jamestown. Legend tells that she would ask for a ride home, and if accepted, would disappear upon reaching her destination.

For years this story has been passed around, and now authors Michael Renegar and Amy Greer explore the truth behind the tale. Uncover the story that lurks behind the legend with Looking for Lydia: The Thirty-Year Search for the Jamestown Hitchhiker today, and discover more ghost stories set in North Carolina at the North Carolina Literary Map.

F. Scott Fitzgerald's 112nd Birthday

Monday, September 24th, was F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 112nd birthday. Best known for his classic book, The Great Gatsby, those who haven’t had the chance to visit Western Carolina may not know that Fitzgerald had ties to our state.

During the summers of 1935 and 1936, Fitzgerald stayed in Asheville, North Carolina to rest after contracting tuberculosis. Western Carolina had become a popular destination for such getaways, as the mountain air was thought to be good for the lungs. Fitzgerald stayed at the renown Grove Park Inn, and rented out two rooms: one for working, the other for writing. The summers spent there were a low period in his life. Fitzgerald was reportedly trying to cure his addiction to gin with what was known as the “beer cure,” and wrote short stories to pay debts and bills. One story written at that time, “I’d Die for You (The Legend of Lake Lure),” was set in Western NC and featured a young actress who had come to the area to star in a movie. He left North Carolina in 1937, heading west to Hollywood with the hopes of reigniting his career. His wife, Zelda, remained in the southeast, traveling between Asheville’s Highland Hospital for treatment and her mother’s home in Montgomery, Alabama.

"I'd Die for You (The Legend of Lake Lure)" and other lesser-known Fitzgerald short stories can be read in the book I'd Die for You: And Other Lost Stories. Find it and other Fitzgerald classics at your local bookstore or library. The North Carolina Literary Map also now features a tour of Fitzgerald’s life in Western NC, that may serve as a guide for tourists or may be explored virtually. Discover more about our state's literary heritage today!

LGBT Pride Month

June is LGBT Pride Month! It was first officially recognized by President Bill Clinton in 1999, the month of June was chosen to commemorate the Stonewall Riots, a pivotal moment in American LGBT History.

This month we would like to highlight the life and works of Bertha Harris. Bertha Harris was born in Fayetteville, North Carolina in 1936. She studied at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and moved to New York City in the 1960s, but her work has often been inspired by her experiences in the South.

Harris’ writing is defined by her inventive and experimental narrative styles. Her first novel, Catching Saradove, is the most rooted in convention. The novel is set in New York City and North Carolina, and is semi-autobiographical, exploring the themes of feminism and other social movements that permeated the 1960s. Her most ambitious work, however, is considered to be the novel Lover. Lover is a postmodernist work that rejects narrative for an experimental style. It has themes of radical lesbian philosophy and features characters both fictional and historical.

Those interested in lesbian and feminist fiction will find her works revealing and engaging. She is very highly regarded by critics and her work resonates with contemporary and modern feminists alike. Harris died in 2005, at the time she had been working on her fourth novel, a comedy entitled Mi Contra Fa. Although this novel was unfortunately never published, you can find Harris’ other works at your local bookstore or library. Celebrate Pride Month by supporting the work of local LGBT authors, and learning about their experiences through their writing.

Happy birthday, Fred Chappell!

Monday, May 28th was the birthday of North Carolina poet of Fred Chappell. He was born in 1936 in the small town of Canton, North Carolina. He earned both his bachelor's and master's degrees at Duke University, and spent a significant portion of his teaching career at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Fred Chappell is a prolific author, having written over twenty-five books and amassed a collection of local and national awards. He had a five year tenure as the Poet Laureate of North Carolina. Having written everything from Lovecraftian horror to domestic fiction, readers are bound to find a work of his that calls to them.

I Am One of You Forever is a novel about a boy named Jess growing up in Western North Carolina during World War II. It is a coming of age story with an eccentric cast of characters, each with their own story to tell. Another book by Chappell, Dagon, is also set in North Carolina, but could not be more different a tale. It is a Southern Gothic horror that plays on the Cthulhu mythos. Dagon follows the story of Peter Leland, a preacher who inherits his grandparents' farmhouse and soon finds dark secrets hidden in the world around him. Find these books, or any of the other many Fred Chappell works, at your local bookstore or library! You're sure to find something just for you.

NC Literary Map at Greensboro Bound

On May 19th we attended Greensboro Bound: a Literary Festival! Having the opportunity to talk to local literary enthusiasts and listen to local authors was an experience we won't soon forget. We hope everyone had as good a time there as we did!

Jewish American Heritage Month

May is Jewish American Heritage Month, which began in 2006 and celebrates the achievements of Jewish Americans

This month we are highlighting the life and works of Harry Golden. He was born in 1902 in the Austro-Hungarian empire, but moved to New York City with his family as a young boy. He grew up with a voracious appetite for reading, but it was not until later in life that he became known for his writing. Instead, he worked as a stockbroker until 1929 when his firm declared bankruptcy.

It wasn’t until 1941 that he arrived in Charlotte, NC and began his career as a writer and journalist. He became an outspoken advocate for civil rights and began his own paper, the Carolina Israelite. It endured constant criticism and a fire that destroyed their subscription list, but survived, according to Golden, due to his use of satire, which he used to combat issues of desegregation and unionization.

In 1958 Golden became a best-selling author with Only in America, a collection of humorous essays. He went on to publish over a dozen books, many of which center on the Jewish American experience, such as Jewish Roots in the Carolinas. For those who enjoy satire and biting social commentary, find his books at your local bookstore or library. His papers can be found at J. Murrey Atkins Special Collections and Archives at UNC Charlotte.

NC Literary Map at Greensboro Bound

On May 19th the NC Literary Map will be at Greensboro Bound! Greensboro Bound is a literary festival that will gather writers and poets of all sorts for an exciting weekend of words. Find us at the Greensboro Cultural Center on the first floor to find more about the NC Literary Map!

NC Lit Map at NC Writers' Network Spring Conference

Greetings! Today, April 21st, we're at the North Carolina Writers' Network Spring Conference! Held on-campus at UNC-Greensboro, you can find our table in the MHRA Building. Stop by and ask about the NC Literary Map, or just to say hello and get a free bag!

National Poetry Month 2018

April is National Poetry Month, a celebration that began in 1996 and was started by the Academy of American Poets. This is a month dedicated to the appreciation and spread of poetry in the United States.

The North Carolina Literary Map has a section dedicated to poetry about North Carolina, with 172 collections available to browse. This National Poetry Month we mark the memory of Kathryn Stripling Byer, former Poet Laureate and the first woman to hold the title. Her poetry often focused upon the lives of women in the Appalachians and their hardships. One such example is Black Shawl, a collection of poetry about the female ballad singers in western North Carolina. Her last published poetry collection, Descent, confronted and challenged the legacy of southern racism.

If you are interested, check out her poetry at your local library or bookstore! Celebrate National Poetry Month with poems inspired by our own state!

NC Lit Map at the NC Writers’ Network

On April 21st the NC Literary Map will be at the NC Writers’ Network Spring Conference! It will be taking place at UNC Greensboro’s MHRA Building, and features classes and discussions on the business of writing and publishing. Find our table there to find more about the NC Literary Map!

National Women’s History Month

March is National Women's History Month, which was established in 1987 by the Congress to honor women's contributions to society.

North Carolina has a long history of women authors, many of whom can be found on the NC Literary Map. This Women’s History Month, allow me to introduce you to Elizabeth Hobbs Keckley. Born in 1818, a slave to Virginian Colonel Armistead Burwell, she was “given” to Burwell’s eldest son, Robert Burwell. In 1835, Keckley moved to Hillsborough and served the Burwells in Burwell Household. Keckley was submitted to horrendous cruelty as a slave, but in 1855 she purchased her freedom and became a dressmaker and close confidante of Mary Todd Lincoln. She wrote a book about her experiences as a slave and in the White House entitled: Thirty Years a Slave and Four Years in the White House. The book is a rare example of a memoir written by a woman slave, and is a testament to the trials that Keckley suffered during her lifetime. Later in life, she taught at Wilberforce University in Ohio, and died in 1907. You can find an example of her needlework at the Smithsonian American History museum, where the dress she made for Lincoln’s second inauguration ceremony is on display.

If you’re interested, you can find her book at your local bookstore or library! Celebrate this National Women’s History Month by learning about female authors from our own state.

Welcome back!

The NC Literary Map's blog has a new blogger! My name is Tasmin and I am currently a second semester graduate student at UNCG. I am pursuing my master's in Library Science and Information Studies. I've been working on the Lit Map for a semester already, and I am excited to spread word about North Carolina's vast array of talent!

Follow us on Twitter or Facebook! Check back soon for further insight into our state's authors, poets, and more!