Winner of the 2002 Novello Literary Award, One Foot in Eden is the first novel from acclaimed poet and short-fiction writer Ron Rash. The book was chosen for publication from more than 100 manuscript submissions. A richly textured story of love and , One Foot in Eden unfolds through the distinctive voices of a small-town sheriff, a young married couple, and those who share in their secrets. Sheriff Will Alexander knows who ed Holland Winchester, but he can't find the body and no one's talking, least of all Holland's neighbor, Billy Holcombe. And Billy's pretty wife Amy seems to know something about it, too. For years, the mystery will go unsolved-until the day the power company forces everyone out and floods the valley and family farms where this close-knit community has lived and worked for generations. Rash is a native Appalachian, and writes with deep understanding and affection for a region often misunderstood. The story is a tribute to a time, place, and way of life slowly vanishing from the modern South.
"A classic tale of passion and tragedy. Each voice rings as true as the sound of an ax in the cold early morning air." --Lee Smith, author of "The Last Girls"
"Equal parts vintage crime novel and Southern Gothic, full of aching ambivalence and hard compromises, and rounded off by bad faith and bad choices, "One Foot in Eden" is a veritable garden of earthly disquiet." --"Los Angeles Times"
"Ruggedly beautiful...Reading Rash's tale is like listening to a plaintive mountain ballad about a time and place long vanished: the lyrics are sweet and mournful, wistful and dark. And, oh, does "One Foot in Eden" linger!" --"The Charlotte Observer"
"Rash's characters have a heroic quality as they struggle to fill the empty spaces in their hearts. They also have a poetic intensity." --"The Atlanta Journal-Constitution"
""One Foot In Eden" is a story of wild, almost primitive force and yet it is neatly and ingeniously put together. Ron Rash knows to the core the ways of those who yearn for what is just beyond their grasp. Here is a lasting experience."
-Fred Chappell, Poet Laureate of North Carolina
"Ron Rash writes like a prince!"
-Pat Conroy
""One Foot in Eden" is a forceful but never forced narrative. Rash moves his tragedy along with great authority, revealing motives that build to the complexity of each character as well as our fascination with them and the outcome of their lives. It is a finely polished novel."
-"The Columbia State"
"If you are a fan of writers such as Robert Morgan, Lee Smith and Fred Chappell, you'll be pleased to know they liked this novel and wrote glowing jacket notes. And no wonder: "One Foot In Eden" could have been written by any of these authors....Save yourself a nice stretch of time for this book. Once you start it, you will find it extremely hard to put down."
-"The Anderson Independent"
"In this fine, passionate work, Rash combines a murder mystery with the occasion of the flooding of a South Carolina Appalachian valley by Carolina power. The story of "One Foot In Eden" is simple, elemental. The conclusion has the force and inevitability of real tragedy...a tragedy that occurs in the ancient, brooding mountains of the Southern Appalachians."
-Don Noble, Alabama Public Radio
"One Foot In Eden" is a story of wild, almost primitive force and yet it is neatly and ingeniously put together. Ron Rash knows to the core the ways of those who yearn for what is just beyond their grasp. Here is a lasting experience.--Fred Chappell, Poet Laureate of North Carolina
Ron Rash writes like a prince!--Pat Conroy
A classic tale of passion and tragedy. Each voice rings as true as the sound of an ax in the cold early morning air. "Lee Smith, author of The Last Girls"
Equal parts vintage crime novel and Southern Gothic, full of aching ambivalence and hard compromises, and rounded off by bad faith and bad choices, "One Foot in Eden" is a veritable garden of earthly disquiet. "Los Angeles Times"
Ruggedly beautiful...Reading Rash's tale is like listening to a plaintive mountain ballad about a time and place long vanished: the lyrics are sweet and mournful, wistful and dark. And, oh, does "One Foot in Eden" linger! "The Charlotte Observer"
Rash's characters have a heroic quality as they struggle to fill the empty spaces in their hearts. They also have a poetic intensity. "The Atlanta Journal-Constitution"
"One Foot In Eden" is a story of wild, almost primitive force and yet it is neatly and ingeniously put together. Ron Rash knows to the core the ways of those who yearn for what is just beyond their grasp. Here is a lasting experience. Fred Chappell, Poet Laureate of North Carolina
Ron Rash writes like a prince! Pat Conroy
"One Foot in Eden" is a forceful but never forced narrative. Rash moves his tragedy along with great authority, revealing motives that build to the complexity of each character as well as our fascination with them and the outcome of their lives. It is a finely polished novel. "The Columbia State"
If you are a fan of writers such as Robert Morgan, Lee Smith and Fred Chappell, you'll be pleased to know they liked this novel and wrote glowing jacket notes. And no wonder: "One Foot In Eden" could have been written by any of these authors....Save yourself a nice stretch of time for this book. Once you start it, you will find it extremely hard to put down. "The Anderson Independent"
In this fine, passionate work, Rash combines a murder mystery with the occasion of the flooding of a South Carolina Appalachian valley by Carolina power. The story of "One Foot In Eden" is simple, elemental. The conclusion has the force and inevitability of real tragedy...a tragedy that occurs in the ancient, brooding mountains of the Southern Appalachians. "Don Noble, Alabama Public Radio""
A classic tale of passion and tragedy. Each voice rings as true as the sound of an ax in the cold early morning air. Lee Smith, author of The Last Girls
Equal parts vintage crime novel and Southern Gothic, full of aching ambivalence and hard compromises, and rounded off by bad faith and bad choices, One Foot in Eden is a veritable garden of earthly disquiet. Los Angeles Times
Ruggedly beautiful...Reading Rash's tale is like listening to a plaintive mountain ballad about a time and place long vanished: the lyrics are sweet and mournful, wistful and dark. And, oh, does One Foot in Eden linger! The Charlotte Observer
Rash's characters have a heroic quality as they struggle to fill the empty spaces in their hearts. They also have a poetic intensity. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
One Foot In Eden is a story of wild, almost primitive force and yet it is neatly and ingeniously put together. Ron Rash knows to the core the ways of those who yearn for what is just beyond their grasp. Here is a lasting experience. Fred Chappell, Poet Laureate of North Carolina
Ron Rash writes like a prince! Pat Conroy
One Foot in Eden is a forceful but never forced narrative. Rash moves his tragedy along with great authority, revealing motives that build to the complexity of each character as well as our fascination with them and the outcome of their lives. It is a finely polished novel. The Columbia State
If you are a fan of writers such as Robert Morgan, Lee Smith and Fred Chappell, you'll be pleased to know they liked this novel and wrote glowing jacket notes. And no wonder: One Foot In Eden could have been written by any of these authors....Save yourself a nice stretch of time for this book. Once you start it, you will find it extremely hard to put down. The Anderson Independent
In this fine, passionate work, Rash combines a murder mystery with the occasion of the flooding of a South Carolina Appalachian valley by Carolina power. The story of One Foot In Eden is simple, elemental. The conclusion has the force and inevitability of real tragedy...a tragedy that occurs in the ancient, brooding mountains of the Southern Appalachians. Don Noble, Alabama Public Radio
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"A classic tale of passion and tragedy. Each voice rings as true as the sound of an ax in the cold early morning air." --Lee Smith, author of The Last Girls
"Equal parts vintage crime novel and Southern Gothic, full of aching ambivalence and hard compromises, and rounded off by bad faith and bad choices, One Foot in Eden is a veritable garden of earthly disquiet." --Los Angeles Times
"Ruggedly beautiful...Reading Rash's tale is like listening to a plaintive mountain ballad about a time and place long vanished: the lyrics are sweet and mournful, wistful and dark. And, oh, does One Foot in Eden linger!" --The Charlotte Observer
"Rash's characters have a heroic quality as they struggle to fill the empty spaces in their hearts. They also have a poetic intensity." --The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"One Foot In Eden is a story of wild, almost primitive force and yet it is neatly and ingeniously put together. Ron Rash knows to the core the ways of those who yearn for what is just beyond their grasp. Here is a lasting experience." --Fred Chappell, Poet Laureate of North Carolina
"Ron Rash writes like a prince!" --Pat Conroy
"One Foot in Eden is a forceful but never forced narrative. Rash moves his tragedy along with great authority, revealing motives that build to the complexity of each character as well as our fascination with them and the outcome of their lives. It is a finely polished novel." --The Columbia State
"If you are a fan of writers such as Robert Morgan, Lee Smith and Fred Chappell, you'll be pleased to know they liked this novel and wrote glowing jacket notes. And no wonder: One Foot In Eden could have been written by any of these authors....Save yourself a nice stretch of time for this book. Once you start it, you will find it extremely hard to put down." --The Anderson Independent
"In this fine, passionate work, Rash combines a murder mystery with the occasion of the flooding of a South Carolina Appalachian valley by Carolina power. The story of One Foot In Eden is simple, elemental. The conclusion has the force and inevitability of real tragedy...a tragedy that occurs in the ancient, brooding mountains of the Southern Appalachians." --Don Noble, Alabama Public Radio
