The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1938-01-13
SHADOWS SLANT NORTH

Again another one Of Ashe county's citizens
noble efforts she has elevated this lofty, rugged
scenic mountain section to pinnacle Of literary
beauty.
SHADOWS SLANT NORTH, as one review
er suggested, is an atmospheric triumph. Her
descriptions of the shadows Of the mountains,
Of the snow-capped peaks of varied evergreens,
trees streams, vegetation, flowers, tempera-
mental weather conditions and their peculiar
fascination are masterpieces. They will serve
as means by which this section will be re-
moved little further from it's original CLASH
fcation as "a Lost Province
Through the characters of the book Mrs.
Bledsoe Gillett also endeavors to portray many
of the inherent characteristics of our people
and attempts to chronicle briefly, but intimate
ly the lives of many of our citizens and the de-
velopments in the county and this section since
1900
We were deeply gratiied over the fact that
her portrayal of her own mountain people with
whom she was born and raised is far superior
and far more accurate than the average writer
of mountain fiction has pictured AS stated on
the fy-leaf Of the book, she doesn't exactly
picture them as "the picturesque hill billies nor
the feuding mountaineers of tradition, but self
respecting, kindly, neighorly folk.
In order that the book might enjoy wide and
substantial sale, which we believe it will, per-
haps she couldn't depart too far from the ira
ditional fiction concept of mountaineers but we
are convinced that she failed to give them full
credit for their virtues,
In our humble opinion, the people of Ashe
and surrounding counties as whole are more
intelligent, have more knowledge, higher moral
and ethical standards than was depicted
through the characters in the book.
AS it was rather broadly indicated in the
novel, most of Ashe mountaineers possess fun
damental qualities that are of the "salt of the
earth" type. They are thrifty, honest, truthful,
frank, home-loving, church-going people. I'm
fortunately many of our ambitions are too weak
and too limited, which is partly due to the rug
ged life caused by an altitude of over 5000 feet
and the resulting climatic conditions. Of course
the county has developed a good deal since
1900 or 1910 and our highways and expansion
of the school system has sublimated isolation
and brought more enlightnent.
There are some parts of the book that we did
not particularly like from personal stand
point, but there are many other parts that we
enjoyed immensely. Besides the description
the philosophical ideas and historical reference
es are extremely impressive. From the begin
ming to the end it is an interesting story. Judy,
the heroine of the book, is an unusually strong
character.
We are firmly convinced that Mrs. Gillett
~; o1ict
and are in hopes that the book will enjoy such
a large sale that she will be encouraged to start
another one soon. Book reviewers all over the
country have been highly praising her first
effort.
To her we extend our profound congratula-
tons and best wishes and request that she send
Luke up to build hospital for us!
We regret our extensive delay in breaking
the news about the first book ever published
with an Ashe county setting, but the pressure
of duty had prevented from reviewing the
book.