Archived News

Discounted preorder for Gary Carden’s memoir now available

Gary Carden. File photo Gary Carden. File photo

Legendary Western North Carolina storyteller Gary Carden is at it again, this time, with a new memoir due out from UNC press later this year. 

“Stories I lived to tell” showcases the faces and places that connect the rural Southern Appalachia of the past to the present — as only the witty, erudite Carden can deliver.

Carden, nearly 90 years old, was born in Sylva and has spent much of his life dedicated to the folklore that first captivated him as a child. A past winner of the “Book of the Year Award” from the Appalachian Writers Association, Carden was also awarded the Brown Hudson Award for Folklore in 2006 and the North Carolina Arts Council Award for Literature in 2012.

He returned to his signature “Liar’s Bench” storytelling events in 2022, and still occasionally performs around the area. A film about Carden’s life, “Storyteller,” premiered in Sylva in 2023. Carden’s memoir was edited by noted Emmy award-winning documentarian Neal Hutcheson, who also produced the film about Carden. Hutcheson is also known for his works about other Southern Appalachian personalities, especially late moonshiner Marvin “Popcorn” Sutton.

Preorder for paperback copies of “Stories I lived to tell,” priced at $22.95, is now available at uncpress.org/book/9781469681573. Use promo code 01SOCIAL30 at checkout to shave 30% off that price.

Smokey Mountain News Logo
SUPPORT THE SMOKY MOUNTAIN NEWS AND
INDEPENDENT, AWARD-WINNING JOURNALISM
Go to top
Payment Information

/

At our inception 20 years ago, we chose to be different. Unlike other news organizations, we made the decision to provide in-depth, regional reporting free to anyone who wanted access to it. We don’t plan to change that model. Support from our readers will help us maintain and strengthen the editorial independence that is crucial to our mission to help make Western North Carolina a better place to call home. If you are able, please support The Smoky Mountain News.

The Smoky Mountain News is a wholly private corporation. Reader contributions support the journalistic mission of SMN to remain independent. Your support of SMN does not constitute a charitable donation. If you have a question about contributing to SMN, please contact us.