Rivers, Ridges, and Valleys: Essays on Rural Pennsylvania

Whether we are native born or have come to settle in Pennsylvania, there is something in the state that seeps into us, that becomes part of us. This collection contains twenty-seven essays. The contributors are all established writers with a variety of publishing credits, and through their writing readers can feel their connection to the rivers, ridges, and valleys of the state. The writers vary in age, representing a couple of generations. About two-thirds are native Pennsylvanians. Those who came to the state came from places as wide ranging as Ohio, North Carolina, Utah, California, and the Philippines. There are several essays dealing with environmental issues such as the aftermath of coal mining and more recent hydraulic fracturing. Some essays celebrate the outdoors whether the adventure is in a backyard or an isolated trout stream. Other essays deal with family legacy and loss, and still others focus on the history of people and places. The essays all have a strong sense of place and represent rural areas in the north, south, east, and west of the state. It is my hope that you will enjoy reading them and learn, as I have, even more about the commonwealth.