Sticks and Stones

“Cultural historians, material culture scholars, historians of the American South, and North Carolinians of all persuasions will find this work a fascinating window into the history and cultural traditions of an understudied state. . . . The exciting and unfamiliar stories to be found in Sticks and Stones are the rich multicultural traditions, both black and white, exemplified by locally made gravemarkers. Little’s work and Buchman’s photographs highlight the cultural diversity of North Carolina that makes identifying a dominant culture or master narrative for the state so difficult. By focusing on a material artifact, Little offers a method to explore — even celebrate — that diversity yet provide a coherent a narrative of change, from place to place and through time.” — Journal of Southern History

“As Americans become more conscious of preserving the past and as scholars become more concerned with learning how ordinary people lived, books like Sticks and Stones are treasures that should be in every library.” — Vernacular Architecture Newsletter

“Handsomely produced. . . . The volume itself is illustrated with beautiful black-and-white photographs. This excellent study is highly recommended for decorative arts, folklore, American studies, and history collections.” — CHOICE

“Well-researched and informative. . . . You will rarely come across such a work of love, and it is, at the same time, very valuable to the understanding of traditional culture.” — Terry G. Jordan, author of Texas Graveyards: A Cultural Legacy

“With a discerning heart and eye, combined with years of careful fieldwork and research, Ruth Little illuminates the history as well as the artistry of gravemarkers in North Carolina. She weaves together the stories of faith and culture, stone types and symbolism, carving techniques and transportation routes, and, especially, the identities of urban and rural artisans who created markers of life as well as death. Tim Buchman’s quietly powerful photographs capture the diverse beauty of these markers — the weathered texture of cypress headboards in sandy coastal burying grounds, concrete memorials aglitter with shells, stern carvings on imported New England slates, weeping willows and broken columns in pale marble, and the paradoxical vitality of Piedmont soapstone markers pierced with whirling pinwheels of eternity.” — Catherine W. Bishir, author of North Carolina Architecture