How We Talked and Common Folks

Book excerpt: Two of Verna Mae Slone's most beloved books—How We Talked and Common Folks—are now available in a single edition. How We Talked is a timeless piece of literature, a free-form combination of glossary and memoir that uses native expressions to depict everyday life in Caney Creek, Kentucky. In addition to phrases and their meanings, the book contains sections on the customs and wisdom of Slone's community, a collection of children's rhymes, and stories and superstitions unique to Appalachia. More than just a dictionary, How We Talked is a rich compendium of life "on Caney," offering an understanding of the culture through the distinctive speech of its people. Originally published in 1979, Common Folks documents Slone's way of life in Pippa Passes, Kentucky, and expands on such diverse topics as family pets, coal mining, education, and marriage. Slone's firsthand account of this unique heritage draws readers into her hill-circled community and allows them to experience a lifestyle that is nearly forgotten. Whether she is writing about traditional Appalachian customs like folk medicine or about universal aspects of life such as a mother's yearning for the little girl she never had, Slone's instinctive sense of what matters most makes Common Folks a compelling meditation on a legacy worth remembering. Published together for the first time, How We Talked and Common Folks celebrate the spirit of an acclaimed Appalachian writer.