Chinaberry

A critically acclaimed novelist, poet, short story writer, and folklorist, James Still (1906 - 2001) cemented his literary legacy with the publication of his 1940 classic, River of Earth.  During a career that lasted more than seventy years, Still was celebrated as the "Dean of Appalachian Literature," and he remains a touchstone and source of inspiration for Appalachian writers.  At the time of his death, however, one manuscript remained unpublished. Named for the Texas ranch at the heart of the story, Chinaberry is Still's last and perhaps greatest contribution to American literature.