The Kentucky Encyclopedia's 2,000-plus entries are the work of more than five hundred writers. Their subjects reflect all areas of the commonwealth and span the time from prehistoric settlement to today's headlines, recording Kentuckians' achievements in art, architecture, business, education, politics, religion, science, and sports. Biographical sketches portray all of Kentucky's governors and U.S. senators, as well as note congressmen and state and local politicians. Kentucky's impact on the national scene is registered in the lives of such figures as Carry Nation, Henry Clay, Louis Brandeis, and Alben Barkley. The commonwealth's high range from writers Harriette Arnow and Jesse Stuart, reformers Laura Clay and Mary Breckinridge, and civil rights leaders Whitney Young, Jr., and Georgia Powers, to sports figures Muhammad Ali and Adolph Rupp and entertainers Loretta Lynn, Merle Travis, and the Everly Brothers. Entries describe each county and county seat and each community with a population above 2,500. Broad overview articles examine such topics as agriculture, segregation, transportation, literature, and folklife. Frequently misunderstood aspects of Kentucky's history and culture are clarified and popular misconceptions corrected. The facts on such subjects as mint juleps, Fort Knox, Boone's coonskin cap, the Kentucky hot brown, and Morgan's Raiders will settle many an argument. For both the researcher and the more casual reader, this collection of facts and fancies about Kentucky and Kentuckians will be an invaluable resource.

Native Kentuckian Theresa Dowell Blackinton gives readers an insider's look at the Bluegrass State, from the revelry of the Kentucky Derby Festival to quiet, cool Mammoth Cave. Blackinton provides suggestions for unique trip itineraries, including Horsin' Around, Traveling the Bourbon Trail, and The Best of the Bluegrass State. Complete with tips on where to find the best bluegrass tunes and barbecue in Owensboro and how to rent a house boat to cruise the Land Between the Lakes Recreation Area, Moon Kentucky gives travelers to tools they need to create a more personal and memorable experience.

Most towns did not have hospitals of their own before the mid-twentieth century, and Kentucky towns were no exception. Kentucky’s first real hospital opened in 1823, but it was in Louisville—too far away to serve many Kentucky communities, especially in cases of emergency. For this and other reasons, the lifespan of the average Kentuckian in the 1800s was only 40 years. Today it has grown to 75, and trained medical professionals are available to most communities throughout the state. Healing Kentucky tells how medical care changed in Kentucky over 200 years and became the much safer and better system we know today. It also describes early healing practices and methods used to care for the sick in the days before safe hospitals, even on Civil War battlefields. From cholera epidemics to polio and plastic surgery, readers will learn much about the people who shaped medicine in Kentucky.

When people think of Kentucky, three things usually come to mind: bourbon, Colonel Sanders's secret chicken recipe, and the glamorous Kentucky Derby. Add college basketball to that list, and you have yourself a superfecta. Looking beyond these time-honored traditions, however, visitors will find in Kentucky a diverse patchwork of faces and places, each as unique as the state's geography. Kentucky, Y'all: A Celebration of the People and Culture of the Bluegrass State is an entertaining and informative compilation of the state's favorite oddities, cultural quirks, traditions, and rites of passage. Authors and proud Kentuckians Blair Thomas Hess and Cameron M. Ludwick share the best stories from their experiences as writers, travelers, and residents in this ode to the Commonwealth. From the iconic to the obscure, the book reveals vital knowledge that every Kentuckian—whether by birth, residence, or simply in mind and heart—should know. What is beer cheese? Who was Bill Monroe? Where can you get a hemp hot dog? Readers are introduced to the brilliant minds behind the Louisville Slugger, the Bowie knife, and pioneering work in genetics. The book also includes a handy list of dos and don'ts of tailgating, a Kentucky sayings glossary, and bucket lists of things to do, drink, read, and eat. Featuring hand-drawn illustrations that represent life, fashion, and entertainment in the Commonwealth, Kentucky, Y'all is an insightful and exuberant guide to the Bluegrass State—for Kentucky natives and visitors alike.

I spent one winter researching the holiday history, folklore, legend, and more of each and every state,' says Carole marsh. A great coffee-table book or classroom read, this book-in an edition for each U.S. state-shares a wealth of fascinating historical material and trivia about everything from holiday traditions to how we got the Christmas tree, superstitions, and more. From the Yule logs of Maine to snow on the Alamo, you'll love your own state book, but wish you could read them all. Don't forget to send your favorite teacher or grandchild a copy for their state!