Praise for Ron Rash
“One of the best living American writers.”
The New York Times
“Recalls both John Steinbeck and Cormac McCarthy.”
“One of my favorites.”
“A true literary master.”
“The Blue-Collar Bard. . . [Rash] distill[s] his prose into taut, muscular portraits of mountain life. . . Every poem, every story, [is] an attempt to honor the beautiful, troubled, often contradictory and violent world of Southern Appalachia without blurring its edges. . . [His work] explore[s] the ways in which rural Appalachia has been both shaped and destroyed by people at war with the land, and in some cases, at war with one another: the flooding of mountain valleys, the battle over wild rivers, the slow creep of the drug economy into desperate communities. The conflict between humans and their environment is not a regional concern, and [these are] not ‘Southern’ stories; they [are] American stories that [happen] to occur in the South.”
“The power of Rash’s stories lies in [the] small moments of connection amid all the noise of rupture and heartbreak. Rash writes with a direct precision that puts the reader at ease. Here is a storyteller who not only knows his characters, but knows all the details around them a well.”
“[An] author of remarkable skill who cares for the South, in all its complexities. . . Rash’s writing is never easy, but it is also lovely, moving, and rich in history and culture, just like the Appalachian region it so beautiful captures.”
Praise for IN THE VALLEY
Winner of the 2020 Thomas Robinson Prize for Southern Literature
One of Garden & Gun and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Best Books of 2020
“Lady Macbeth in Appalachia, and other tales by an American master. . . Mesmerizing. . . ‘In the Valley’ takes Serena to such a fever pitch of destruction that in a lesser writer’s hands it might seem overheated. But Rash maintains the deep keel that has always distinguished him. . . He’s one of the best living American writers, and his laconic understatement is much more powerful than excess. . . Haunting and darkly funny.”
“[Rash] distill[s] his prose into taut, muscular portraits of mountain life. . . Every poem, every story, [is] an attempt to honor the beautiful, troubled, often contradictory and violent world of Southern Appalachia without blurring its edges. . . [His work] explore[s] the ways in which rural Appalachia has been both shaped and destroyed by people at war with the land, and in some cases, at war with one another: the flooding of mountain valleys, the battle over wild rivers, the slow creep of the drug economy into desperate communities. The conflict between humans and their environment is not a regional concern, and [these are] not ‘Southern’ stories; they [are] American stories that [happen] to occur in the South.”
“With In the Valley, Rash presents a catalog of broken people trying to survive beneath the weight of their self-abuse. . . The power of Rash’s stories lies in [the] small moments of connection amid all the noise of rupture and heartbreak. Rash writes with a direct precision that puts the reader at ease. Here is a storyteller who not only knows his characters, but knows all the details around them a well.”
“Complex tales of human failings and triumphs. . . Sacrifice, revenge, redemption and small acts of humanity play out to heart-wrenching effects in [Rash’s] hands. ‘In the Valley’ is a compact, devastating return to. . . that indelible, cut-throat world of Serena. . . [The collection] promises a small glimmer of hope for humanity, and that’s something we could use a dose of right now.”
“Revelatory. . . In simple but eloquent prose, Rash describes the vulnerabilities, fears, and desires of his characters and shows how often they unite persons from vastly different walks of life and social strata. The skillful craftsmanship of these tales and their subtle but powerful climaxes make for profoundly moving reading.”
“Rash’s best genre. . . Rash is expert at revealing the sword of vengeance’s double edge—how honed it is, how it cuts whomever wields it. . . A brace of strong stories, and the [title] novella’s a fine, suspenseful contribution to the thriving genre of Appalachian mayhem.”
“Undoubtedly the work of a short story author of remarkable skill who cares for the South, in all its complexities. . . At turns dark, craggy, and heart-wrenching, Rash’s writing is never easy, but it is also lovely, moving, and rich in history and culture, just like the Appalachian region it so beautiful captures.”
“Haunting. . . Rash profoundly immerses readers in the Appalachia he calls home. His latest collection is highly recommended not only for readers who value protecting our environment but also for anyone who enjoys well-told stories of justice and revenge.”
“Rash’s lyrical, atmospheric collection, with its strong sense of place, will appeal to readers of Rick Bragg and Jesmyn Ward.”
“Exhibiting the linguistic grace of Rash’s poetry and his ability to capture both a world [and] a mental landscape in a few lines, these stories immerse the reader in vivid settings. . . Ron Rash has carved out a niche of his own among the country’s best contemporary writers. This short story collection shows him at the top of his form.”
“Show[s] a deft pen. . . Rash layers ten stories with the destruction and redemption of people you know, or met or had over for Thanksgiving dinner. . . [Rash has] a gift for pulling universal tragedies out of ordinary [lives]. . . In the Valley [is unified by] destruction – of culture, environment, honor, morals and respect.”
“From haunting, short-form meditations on loss to a thrilling novella that revives Serena, Rash’s most indelible antihero, In the Valley offers a distillation of his storytelling mastery at its best. Though these stories contain many of the author’s signature moves, and the subjects and motifs cover perennial Appalachian territory, Rash’s precision of craft and keen insight into character remain sharp and surprising. . . These stories respect quiet fortitude, while never minimizing or sentimentalizing the price of such restraint. . . With every story, In the Valley showcases Rash’s skillful attention to nuance and surprise. Through seamless prose and unforgettable images, Rash continues to cultivate ways of nurturing fresh soil in even his most familiar territory.”
“Unforgettably vibrant. . . Each story in Ron Rash’s collection [is] a concise tale of human nature, for better or worse.”
“Rash gives us [a] captivating glimpse into the world we live in, one that’s not to be missed.”
“Lyrical, haunting. . . As with every Rash book, the reader is treated to countless moments of stunning illumination on the human condition.”
“A ten-story powerhouse from a true literary master. . . Pitch-perfect.”
“A gift for his legions of fans [that] could also usher in a new crop of Rash readers and serve as a fitting intro to his work. . . Rash’s prose [is] economical and by turns tense, tender, and unsentimentally searing.”