Hell's Not Far Off Bruce Crawford and the Appalachian Left

"Howard's meticulous research and artful telling of Bruce Crawford's story offers a fascinating glimpse into the life of a radical newspaper publisher whose social and political impact extended well beyond the rural Appalachian community in which he published." - Michael Clay Carey, author of The News Untold: Community Journalism and the Failure to Confront Poverty in Appalachia

"Appalachian mountain journalist and businessman Bruce Crawford was variously an outspoken critic of the 1920s Klan, a self-described leftist radical fighter for Appalachian coal mining families in the 1930s, a dedicated New Dealer who earned the wrath of an anti-union Democratic West Virginia governor, and a reactionary critic of Civil Rights and New Left activists. Despite his unpredictable political journey, Crawford's reputation for personal bravery and integrity was never in question. Josh Howard's work will rescue this brilliant, mercurial figure from undeserved obscurity and fascinate readers interested in Appalachian history and American politics." - John Hennen, author of A Union for Appalachian Healthcare Workers: The Radical Roots and Hard Fights of Local 1199