Kinfolks: The Wilgus Stories
In a series of 10 short stories that relates the tales of Wilgus Collier, beginning at age eight to the time he becomes a young man, Gurney Norman enchants and torments the reader with the unique and colorful characters that compose the human scenery of Collier's early life. From the grandfather that deserts the family for good - for an afternoon - to an uncle carting bootleg beer and introducing Wilgus to "the wild side of life," the stories relay the wisdom and lessons that family pass on to their following generations.
Set in eastern Kentucky, but not far from the heart of any close knit family, author Norman hilariously and despairingly relays the Appalachian, and universal, story of family relations. A storyteller that reveals the heart by playing its strings, Gurney Norman is a literary musician.
Undulations: A Journey on the Appalachian Trail
Author and hiker Karen Thompson takes us on her adventure along the Appalachian Trail, in this book that begins with the line: "Hiking the entire Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine has always been a dream of mine. It is number nine of 'one hundred things to do in my life' - a list written in a ten-year-old dreamy blue-eyed girl's diary." From the creative gifts given prior to her trip's beginning, such as 24 tiny tubes of toothpaste, to the contents of the mail drop boxes that maintained her along the way, her first steps on the trail in 2004 are documented in caring detail.
Dubbed "Dances With Scarf" for her celebratory dance early in her journey - shortened to just "Scarf" - we follow Thompson as she makes life-long friends, discovers natural and personal wonders, and weighs and prioritizes the facets of her life's journey.  
Living in a restored century-old log cabin in rural Kentucky, author Thompson anticipates her next adventure - and as the the spring hours approach, encourages each of us to pursue our own personal dream.
Sleepwalk With Me and Other Painfully True Stories
Comedian Mike Birbiglia has performed his act a number of times in Lexington and expounds upon the stories he refers to in his routine in "Sleepwalk With Me." His family stories will ring true for many, and his serious battle with sleepwalking - almost a fatal case - is both hysterical and informative. He, in his sleep, marched through a second-story window at a motel and amazingly walked away to live - and relive - the story in his book and on stage.
For 16 chapters he entertains the reader with his tales of growing up, dating and surviving, having adapted to a serious condition. Engaging, endearing, hilarious and well worth the read, Birbiglia's first book is a shining example of his talent.