Bringing together fiction, nonfiction, and poetry from many of the state's most famous writers, Of Woods and Waters is the first book of its kind to celebrate the Kentucky outdoors. It collects the authentic written and visual experiences of Wendell Berry, Bobbie Ann Mason, Barbara Kingsolver, Thomas D. Clark, Jesse Stuart, James Still, Harriette Arnow, Harry Caudill, Silas House, George Ella Lyon, and Robert Penn Warren, among others. A number of the pieces are original to this volume, which also includes art by Harlan Hubbard, Rick Hill, and Paul Sawyier. Featuring both established and emerging authors, Of Woods and Waters blends a range of writing styles and outdoor experiences to create a truly unique vision of Kentucky's land and life.

Ron Ellis is the author of the fictionalized memoir Cogan's Woods. His work has appeared in Kentucky Afield, Appalachian Life, Kentucky Monthly, and the Journal of Kentucky Studies. A dedicated bird-hunter and fly fisherman, he lives in northern Kentucky with his wife and son.

Reviews:

"This is as good a volume of hunting, fishing, and nature writing as I've seen. It gathers over a century of fine writing about the central Appalachian landscape from John James Audubon's day to the present."--Gray's Sporting Journal

"Offering tales of fishing, hiking, canoeing--and discovery, climbing trees, and exploring hidden hollows, Of Woods and Waters offers a defense of an aspect of life that is undeniably declining, but is still held dear by the talented writers presented within its pages."--Chevy Chaser

"A superb collection. Ellis has covered an extraordinary swath of ground with this collection, the first that I know of to so thoroughly plow through the state's deep outdoor roots."--Louisville Courier-Journal

"A book that is long overdue, considering the rich tradition of hunting and fishing in Kentucky, and our bounty of natural resources."--Art Lander, Outdoors Columnist, Lexington Herald-Leader

"No other state offers such a variety of topics for its writers and this one, which incorporates love of the land and the love of nature, is special. This anthology may well inspire others to share tales concerning this genre, and kudos to all if it does"--James C. Claypool, Northern Kentucky University

"Takes your mind outside. Read enough of it and you might get out of the chair and follow."--Lexington Herald-Leader

"It is a journey through time and changing landscapes, yet it has a constant--woods and waters--that informs and defines every selection to be found in this anthology."--The Sunday Challenger

"Filled with 74 essays, stories, and poems and more than 50 illustrations, the diverse collection is an exploration of Kentuckians' kinship with the land and an attempt to describe, even if words are inadequate, the ancestral spirit that draws us to wild places."--Kentucky Post

"A journey through time and changing landscapes, yet it has a constant--woods and water--that informs and defines every selection to be found in this anthology."--Northern Kentucky Challenger

"An insightful and varied view of Kentucky's lush landscape from many voices, past and present. . . . Will certainly appeal to hunters, anglers, environmentalists, and those who simply enjoy the outdoors--for whatever reason."--Kentucky Monthly