{"product_id":"9781250007452","title":"The Ballad of Tom Dooley : A Ballad Novel","description":"\u003cstrong\u003eThe Ballad of Tom Dooley\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor(s): Sharyn McCrumb\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe Ballad of Tom Dooley \u003ci\u003eis a literary triumph—what began as a fictional re-telling of the historical account of one of the most famous mountain ballads of all time became an astonishing revelation of the real culprit responsible for the murder of Laura Foster\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eHang down your head, Tom Dooley…The folk song, made famous by the Kingston Trio, recounts a tragedy in the North Carolina mountains after the Civil War. Laura Foster, a simple country girl, was murdered and her lover Tom Dula was hanged for the crime. The sensational elements in the case attracted national attention: a man and his beautiful, married lover accused of murdering the other-woman; the former governor of North Carolina spearheading the defense; and a noble gesture from the prisoner on the eve of his execution, saving the woman he really loved. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWith the help of historians, lawyers, and researchers, Sharyn McCrumb visited the actual sites, studied the legal evidence, and uncovered a missing piece of the story that will shock those who think they already know what happened—and may also bring belated justice to an innocent man. What seemed at first to be a sordid tale of adultery and betrayal was transformed by the new discoveries into an Appalachian Wuthering Heights. Tom Dula and Ann Melton had a profound romance spoiled by the machinations of their servant, Pauline Foster.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBringing to life the star-crossed lovers of this mountain tragedy, Sharyn McCrumb gifts understanding and compassion to her compelling tales of Appalachia, and solidifies her status as one of today's great Southern writers.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eReview(s):\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e“McCrumb's tale is impeccably researched ... McCrumb's novel casts light on the often bleak context surrounding characters who have become legend.” —\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“In a story with parallels to Wuthering Heights, McCrumb makes a strong case for a sociopathic servant as the catalyst for the deadly events that ensued.True to the language and culture of its time and place.” —\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN:  9781250007452\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ","brand":"St. Martin's Griffin","offers":[{"title":"Paperback \/ softback","offer_id":40637577134286,"sku":"9781250007452","price":18.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0600\/7029\/7806\/products\/getimage_f08667a1-9f85-4a2a-a4f4-f02daf6f5392.jpg?v=1639016732","url":"https:\/\/pickwickbookshop.com\/products\/9781250007452","provider":"Pickwick Bookshop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}