A Little Bit of Everything!

Dr. William H. Turner introduces readers to the history of Black Appalachian coal towns, places that many outside the region may not have even realized existed. He describes daily life and the economic boom they experienced after WWII. They were also cultural centers with their own magazines and organizations. And, of course, he also follows the region’s decline, which deeply affected these towns and was eventually their downfall. Dr. Turner strives to ensure that these places, the places he loves, are not forgotten.

Jeanna Kadlec gives us a peek into her life growing up in conservative Christianity. She always wanted to be the perfect Christian girl. She married a pastor’s son and waited to have sex until she was married. But doing all of these things didn’t make her happy. She eventually realized that the faith she had been told was the only true way to live was actually very flawed and abusive to her, emotionally and spiritually. She filed for divorce, came out as queer, and completely changed the direction of her life. Like she says in the beginning of the book, she didn’t just leave the church because she’s a lesbian — long before she realized that she was queer, Kadlec understood that the Christian culture she grew up in was incredibly harmful. From this starting point, Kadlec gives readers a more complex view of her faith experience.