Summary Of Lee Smith's Oral History

Oral History, Lee Smith’s fifth novel, was published in 1983 and garnered national attention due to its status as a “Book-of-the-Month Club” selection (“Biography”). Oral History opens at the base of Hoot Owl Mountain, home to the remaining descendants of the almost mythical Cantrell family. A younger and somewhat estranged family member, Jennifer, comes to the Appalachian setting to gather information about her unknown past for a college assignment, appropriately termed “Oral History.” She is drawn to the small, now coal-mining community due to a legend surrounding the Cantrell family and their former home, Hoot Owl Holler. The legend morphed into a ghost story involving a haunted cabin, witchcraft, and a supposed curse on the family at hand.

Lee expertly weaves the chronological tale of Almarine Cantrell’s life, death, and subsequent family lineage through a variety of distinctly crafted personalities, all adding to the narrative through their unique perspectives. While Almarine’s romantic hardships and resulting offspring are at the heart of the novel, Oral History also explores Appalachian life through a myriad of lenses, preconceived notions, actualities, and the exploration of traditions and daily life. Smith offers a rich and complex study of an often forgotten about southern geographical region and population. The narrative rarely drags, drawing the reader into an exciting tale of Appalachia that includes folklore, storytelling, a strong sense of the past, and a continuation into the present that attempts to reconcile what was with what the mountain region has become (Eckard