The Tall Woman, first published in 1962, is a classic of Appalachian literature. At the time of her birth, author Wilma Dykeman’s family had resided in the mountains of North Carolina for generations, and the novel takes place in these mountains during and after the Civil War.

The novel follows the main character, Lydia, from young womanhood to death. Shortly after their marriage her husband, Mark, decides to join the war effort on the Union side, while her father and brothers fight for the Confederacy. There are no hard feelings within her own family due to Mark’s decision, largely because slavery seems not to exist in this area, and they are fighting more out of loyalty than strong convictions to one side or the other.

Outliers and marauders from both sides steal from the families in the area. In an early scene, outliers take the farm animals from Lydia’s parents’ home, and Lydia’s mother, Sarah, is tortured to get her to tell the marauders where she has hidden her family’s stores of meat. Sarah is never the same again. Lydia and Mark believe that someone in the community betrayed them, pointing the criminals in their direction for some reason.

Once the war ends, Lydia and Mark buy land and build a home deeper into the mountains. Much of the book concerns the work Lydia does in her home and on the farm, the children she bears and raises, her efforts to earn some money, and the community members she interacts with. At times the family struggles to make a living, and tough decisions must be made: whether to divert land into the cash crop of tobacco; how to help a child who’s mentally disabled; how to pay for higher education; and even whether to leave the community.

About a third of the way through the book I almost stopped reading because Lydia seemed so passive, reacting to what was happening around her but not taking much independent action. However, I kept reading, and not only did the story pick up, but I also realized that this novel is not so much about one woman as about the entire community she is part of.

Lydia wants bring a school to her community, and she pursues this goal despite many setbacks. Towards the end, Lydia witnesses a dramatic revelation that suggests a path forward for her school, if she’s willing to take brave action.

By the poignant end of the book I’d come to know and love these characters. For more information on Wilma Dykeman, see her biographical entry at the North Carolina Literary Hall of Fame. The above photo of Dykeman is from the Mountain Express of Asheville, NC, which hosts a Wilma Dykeman birthday celebration in May.