In this work the various ways that social, economic, and cultural factors influence the identities and educational aspirations of rural working-class Appalachian people are explored. Throughout the book, the author draws upon his personal experiences as a first-generation college student from a small coalmining town in rural West Virginia. Both scholarly and personal, the book blends critical theory, ethnographic research, and personal narrative to demonstrate how family work histories and community expectations both shape and limit the goals of Appalachian people.

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