Arkansas/Arkansaw Book Review
Arkansas/Arkansaw: How Bear Hunters, Hillbillies, and Good Ol' Boys Defined a State. Brooks Blevins. Fayetteville, AR. 2009. 242 pages
What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the state of Arkansas? Chances are, that as an Arkansan the thoughts are quite different than those of someone not born or raised here. Hillbilly, redneck, barefoot, and trailer are a just few of the common first words invoked in the minds of “foreigners” by the word Arkansas. In the non-fiction work, Arkansas/Arkansaw: How Bear Hunters, Hillbillies, and Good Ol' Boys Defined a State, author Brooks Blevins provides readers with his idea of how Arkansas's image began, and then perpetuated over time. He provides several examples of the creation and reiteration of this imagine, beginning as early as the 1800s and progressing all the way into the 2000s. Not every example provided in the book reflects a negative image, as Blevins is trying to prove that there are positive aspects, it has progressed over time, and is ultimately the Arkansan's perception of it that determines its power. The books provided so much information of the state I am proud to call my home, and I believe that Brooks Blevins was successful in his presentation and purpose! I was pleased to find that Blevins writes this book as an Arkansas native rather than an opinionated outsider with no identity in the subject of his work. I feel that it is this factor alone that gives the book such a genuine feel. I was also pleased to find that Blevins once worked as a professor at Lyon College, which is located in my hometown. This gives me an even stronger sense of familiarity with him. The book is intended to be read by anyone interested in the subject, although it seems natural that interest would be primarily with historians and Arkansas natives. It is this reader's interest that actually influences the effectiveness of Blevins's writing. Obviously, efferent readers and aesthetic readers will be
What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the state of Arkansas? Chances are, that as an Arkansan the thoughts are quite different than those of someone not born or raised here. Hillbilly, redneck, barefoot, and trailer are a just few of the common first words invoked in the minds of “foreigners” by the word Arkansas. In the non-fiction work, Arkansas/Arkansaw: How Bear Hunters, Hillbillies, and Good Ol' Boys Defined a State, author Brooks Blevins provides readers with his idea of how Arkansas's image began, and then perpetuated over time. He provides several examples of the creation and reiteration of this imagine, beginning as early as the 1800s and progressing all the way into the 2000s. Not every example provided in the book reflects a negative image, as Blevins is trying to prove that there are positive aspects, it has progressed over time, and is ultimately the Arkansan's perception of it that determines its power. The books provided so much information of the state I am proud to call my home, and I believe that Brooks Blevins was successful in his presentation and purpose! I was pleased to find that Blevins writes this book as an Arkansas native rather than an opinionated outsider with no identity in the subject of his work. I feel that it is this factor alone that gives the book such a genuine feel. I was also pleased to find that Blevins once worked as a professor at Lyon College, which is located in my hometown. This gives me an even stronger sense of familiarity with him. The book is intended to be read by anyone interested in the subject, although it seems natural that interest would be primarily with historians and Arkansas natives. It is this reader's interest that actually influences the effectiveness of Blevins's writing. Obviously, efferent readers and aesthetic readers will be