With its multitude of mountains and the highest elevation east of the Rockies, it's no wonder West Virginia's nickname is the "Mountain State." Abundant natural resources make it a leader in both industry and recreation, from glassmaking to rock climbing. Historic sites and sights include Harper's Ferry and the annual Native American Pow Wow, along with Lost World Caverns and White Sulphur Springs. Noteworthy West Virginians include Chuck Yeager and Olympian Mary Lou Retton. Mary Ann McCabe Riehle learned to appreciate the importance of reading and writing while growing up in the neighboring state of Kentucky. She graduated from Xavier University with a degree in Communication Arts and Education and has been a featured author and guest speaker at reading, writing, and library conferences. Mary Ann lives in Michigan with her husband, two daughters and their dog, Bisbee. Laura J. Bryant attended the Maryland Institute of Art and spent many years working in the display industry, which involved both illustrating, and designing scenery for projects including stage backdrops and corporate galas. She currently devotes all of her attention to the creation of children's books. Laura's other titles include A Fairy in a Dairy, Smudge Bunny, and the bestselling book God Gave Us You. Laura and her husband live in Mathias, West Virginia.

This lively and thoughtful book explores what it means to be black in an allegedly postracial America

Find out about the bizarre creatures that live in West Virginia.

With the Commonwealth of Virginia's Public Park Condemnation Act of 1928, the state surveyed for and acquired three thousand tracts of land that would become Shenandoah National Park. The Commonwealth condemned the homes of five hundred families so that their land could be "donated" to the federal government and placed under the auspices of the National Park Service. Prompted by the condemnation of their land, the residents began writing letters to National Park and other government officials to negotiate their rights and to request various services, property, and harvests. Typically represented in the popular media as lawless, illiterate, and incompetent, these mountaineers prove themselves otherwise in this poignant collection of letters. The history told by the residents themselves both adds to and counters the story that is generally accepted about them. These letters are housed in the Shenandoah National Park archives in Luray, Virginia, which was opened briefly to the public from 2000 to 2002, but then closed due to lack of funding. This selection of roughly 150 of these letters, in their entirety, makes these documents available again not only to the public but also to scholars, researchers, and others interested in the region's history, in the politics of the park, and in the genealogy of the families. Supplementing the letters are introductory text, photographs, annotation, and oral histories that further document the lives of these individuals.

The state of Vermont is illustrated through gorgeous photographs and evocative essays, showcasing 50 iconic places, events, inventions, foods, and objects from the Green Mountain State.

"The West Virginia University Mountaineer isn't just a mascot: it's a symbol of West Virginia history and identity that's embraced throughout the state. Folklorist Rosemary Hathaway explores the figure's early history as a backwoods trickster, its deployment in emerging mass media, and finally its long and sometimes conflicted career-beginning officially in 1937-as the symbol of West Virginia University"--

The Book of Majors 2013 by The College Board helps students answer these questions: What's the major for me? Where can I study it? What can I do with it after graduation? Revised and refreshed every year, this book is the most comprehensive guide to college majors on the market. In-depth descriptions of 200 of the most popular majors are followed by complete listings of every major offered at over 3,800 colleges, including four-year, two-year and technical schools. The 2013 edition covers every college major identified by the U.S. Department of Education — over 1,100 majors are listed in all. This is also the only guide that shows what degree levels each college offers in a major, whether a certificate, associate, bachelor's, master's or doctorate. The guide features: • Insights — from the professors themselves — on how each major is taught, what preparation students will need, other majors to consider and much more! • Updated information on career options and employment prospects. • Inside scoop on how students can find out if a college offers a strong program for a particular major, what life is like for students studying that major, and what professional societies and accrediting agencies to refer to for more background on the major.

Shares overviews of nearly one thousand schools for a variety of disciplines, in a directory that lists educational institutions by state and field of study while sharing complementary information about tuition, enrollment, and faculties.