10 books about Kentucky

The story of how Julian Van Winkle III, the caretaker of the most coveted cult Kentucky Bourbon whiskey in the world, fought to protect his family's heritage and preserve the taste of his forebears, in a world where authenticity, like his product, is in very short supply. As a journalist said of Pappy Van Winkle, "You could call it bourbon, or you could call it a $5,000 bottle of liquified, barrel-aged unobtanium." Julian Van Winkle, the third-generation head of his family's business, is now thought of as something like the Buddha of Bourbon - Booze Yoda, as Wright Thompson calls him. He is swarmed wherever he goes, and people stand in long lines to get him to sign their bottles of Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve, the whiskey he created to honor his grandfather, the founder of the family concern. A bottle of the 23-year-old Pappy starts at $3000 on the internet. As Julian is the first to say, things have gone completely nuts. Forty years ago, Julian would have laughed in astonishment if you'd told him what lay ahead. He'd just stepped in to try to save the business after his father had died, partly of heartbreak, having been forced to sell the old distillery in a brutal downturn in the market for whiskey. Julian's grandfather had presided over a magical kingdom of craft and connoisseurship, a genteel outfit whose family ethos generated good will throughout Kentucky and far beyond. There's always a certain amount of romance to the marketing of spirits, but Pappy's mission statement captured something real: "We make fine bourbon - at a profit if we can, at a loss if we must, but always fine bourbon." But now the business had hit the wilderness years, and Julian could only hang on for dear life, stubbornly committed to preserving his namesake's legacy or going down with the ship. Then something like a miracle happened: it turned out that hundreds of very special barrels of whiskey from the Van Winkle family distillery had been saved by the multinational conglomerate that bought it. With no idea what they had, they offered to sell it to Julian, who scrambled to beg and borrow the funds. Now he could bottle a whiskey whose taste captured his family's legacy. The result would immediately be hailed as the greatest whiskey in the world - and would soon be the hardest to find. But now, those old barrels were used up, and Julian Van Winkle faced the challenge of his lifetime: how to preserve the taste of Pappy, the taste of his family's heritage, in a new age? The amazing Wright Thompson was invited to be his wingman as he set about to try. The result is an extraordinary testimony to the challenge of living up to your legacy and the rewards that come from knowing and honoring your people and your craft. Wright learned those lessons from Julian as they applied to the honest work of making a great bourbon whiskey in Kentucky, but he couldn't help applying them to his own craft, writing, and his upbringing in Mississippi, as he and his wife contemplated the birth of their first child. May we all be lucky enough to find some of ourselves, as Wright Thompson did, in Julian Van Winkle, and in Pappyland.

From the earliest European exploration and settlement of Kentucky, the state’s wildlife has played an important role. Men like the legendary Daniel Boone were in part lured to Kentucky by the opportunity to hunt Whitetail Deer, Bison, and Elk; and the Native Americans living in the region sustained themselves largely by harvesting mammals, birds, and fish. While the state’s wildlife is still an important resource for trappers, hunters, and fishermen, wildlife is also increasingly important for its intrinsic, aesthetic value. In Kentucky Wildlife Encyclopedia, nationally known naturalist Scott Shupe has collected information on all the wildlife that reside in the Bluegrass State. The first in a series of state wildlife encyclopedias, this book will be a handy, usable, layman’s guide to Kentucky’s wildlife. Included are over 800 color photographs, depicting the different species of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and fish, while also offering over 600 range maps to show their territory. Along with basic information for the biology of each animal, Shupe includes the size, habitat, and abundance of each species located in the state. Whether you’re a lover of the outdoors, photography, or are looking to learn more about your state, this comprehensive guide will teach you about the wonderful wildlife that covers the water, earth, and skies of Kentucky.

"Cussy Mary Carter is the last of her kind, her skin the color of a blue damselfly in these dusty hills. But that doesn't mean she's got nothing to offer. As a member of the Pack Horse Library Project, Cussy delivers books to the hill folk of Troublesome, hoping to spread learning in these desperate times. But not everyone is so keen on Cussy's family or the Library Project, and the hardscrabble Kentuckians are quick to blame a Blue for any trouble in their small town. The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is a story of raw courage, fierce strength, and one woman's determination to bring a little bit of hope to the darkly hollers"--

With over 1,500 Kentuckian surnames referenced in this major new work. Mr. Hehir provides in one source a comprehensive listing of all printed Kentuckian genealogies and family histories that have made their way into major library collections across the United States. The author researched library listings and catalogs covering many genealogical libraries including the Library of Congress, the National Genealogical Society Library and the Library of the Daughters of the American Revolution along with historical association libraries from Massachusetts to California. Many of the books deal with multiple families some with non-Kentucky roots. Arranged for ease of use the entries are presented alphabetically according to surname with a cross index to family and secondary names to help researchers find surnames that would otherwise remain buried with the text. No genealogist working with Kentuckian families should be without this time-saving volume on his or her bookshelf.

See a yellow bird and donít know what it is? No problem! This remarkable field guide features 112 bird species (only Kentucky birds!) organized by color. Full-page photos, detailed descriptions, Stanís Notes and range maps help to ensure correct I.D.

Presents a season-by-season guide to the identification, harvest, and preparation of more than two hundred common edible plants to be found in the wild.

In Depression-era America, five extraordinary women embark on a remarkable journey through the mountains of Kentucky and beyond. Based on a true story rooted in America's past, The Giver of Stars is a richly rewarding novel of women's friendship, of true love, and of what happens when people reach beyond their grasp.