Picture a Kentucky storyteller who weaves the soul of Appalachia into every page—meet Silas House! With novels like Southernmost and A Parchment of Leaves, this bestselling author captures the heart of rural America with lyrical prose and unflinching honesty. A champion of environmental causes and a mentor to aspiring writers, House’s work is as vibrant as the mountains he calls home.
Born in 1971 in Corbin, Kentucky, House grew up in the tight-knit, complex world of rural Lily, surrounded by storytellers and the rhythms of Pentecostal faith. His tales of family, identity, and the natural world have made him a cornerstone of Appalachian literature, earning accolades and a devoted readership.
The Making of Silas House
Raised in Eastern Kentucky, Silas House was steeped in the oral traditions of his Appalachian roots. His childhood in Laurel and Leslie Counties, where family tales and church hymns filled the air, shaped his vivid storytelling. After earning a BA in English from Eastern Kentucky University and an MFA from Spalding University, House honed his craft under mentors like Lee Smith. His early works, including poetry and stories in journals like Oxford American, marked him as a rising star, named one of the South’s “Ten Emerging Talents” by Vanderbilt University in 2000.
Silas House’s Unforgettable Stories
House’s novels are love letters to Appalachia, blending gritty realism with poetic grace. His Appalachian Trilogy—Clay’s Quilt (2001), A Parchment of Leaves (2003), and The Coal Tattoo (2005)—explores a multi-generational family grappling with love, loss, and tradition. A Parchment of Leaves, a national bestseller, follows Cherokee woman Vine Sullivan through a haunting love triangle, earning praise for its “breathtaking” prose. Southernmost (2018) tackles faith and acceptance, inspired by Thomas Merton’s idea that “everything is holy,” and was longlisted for the Carnegie Medal.
His young adult novel Same Sun Here (2012), co-authored with Neela Vaswani, bridges cultural divides through the pen-pal friendship of a Kentucky boy and an Indian immigrant girl, addressing issues like mountaintop removal. House’s latest, Lark Ascending (2022), a dystopian tale of an Appalachian family fleeing climate catastrophe, won the 2023 Southern Book Prize. His style—lyrical, character-driven, and deeply rooted in place—challenges stereotypes while celebrating the resilience of rural life.
Why Silas House Matters
Silas House is more than a writer; he’s a voice for Appalachia and beyond. As an openly gay author, he represents LGBTQ Southerners, weaving themes of identity and acceptance into his work. His environmental activism, particularly against mountaintop removal, shines in books like Something’s Rising (2009), co-authored with Jason Howard. As the NEH Chair at Berea College, House inspires students to embrace their heritage. His numerous awards, including the Governor’s Award for the Arts, cement his legacy as a literary and cultural force.
About Silas House
- Born: August 7, 1971, Corbin, Kentucky
- Key Works: Clay’s Quilt, A Parchment of Leaves, Southernmost, Lark Ascending
- Awards: Southern Book Prize, Appalachian Book of the Year, three honorary doctorates
- Fun Fact: House is also a music journalist, working with artists like Kris Kristofferson and Kacey Musgraves.
Ready to discover Appalachia through a master storyteller’s eyes? Snag A Parchment of Leaves or Lark Ascending and dive into Silas House’s soul-stirring world!