My latest most favorite blog is The Hillbilly Savants. It’s an intelligent look at an interesting and sometimes misunderstood culture. If you have Appalachian blood in you, then you know what I’m talking about. If you have any preconceived notions about Appalachians then this may give you a much needed attitude adjustment. If you have no idea at all what I’m talking about but have a curious mind, check it out.

Hillbilly Savants is one of those blogs that makes you want to just want to pull up the rockin' chair and put your feet next to the fire. Do check it out, and take your time. Look over the archives. Lots of great photos and articles from a couple dozen or so contributors.

I've recently found another fascinating place to read about all things Appalachian. Hillbilly Savants has a staggering amount of information, links to bajillions of newspaper, television and radio sites, bloggers from across the South, colleges, research and policy groups, a hefty list of contributors and much, much more. Exhaustive work is evident here. The topics cover culture and politics and tall tales of the region, history, science - you name it. I was more than honored to find they linked to this humble but lovable blog, too.

These guys rock...a group of bloggers writing substantial insights into this region we now call home. If only I could write like this.

Hillbilly Savants is one of the best blogs on the entire web.

Stereotypes are great in the purpose that they serve. They give us a way of packaging up all the things we know nothing about so that we can reduce them down to a single image, and then neatly dismiss them. I don't feel the need to hang out with Eskimos because I'm reasonably sure that I don't want to live in an igloo or eat frozen fish, that sort of thing. The Hillbilly Savant reminds those who take notice -- and I encourage everyone to take notice -- that people in Appalachia are not so neatly defined. We might be hillbillies in some ways, but we can still add 2 + 2. If we can't, we sure as hell know how to work a calculator : ) Anywho... there's countless reasons to proudly shout out from the Appalachian region to the rest of the world, and that's what the Hillbilly Savant reminds us. Plus they link off to a boat load of other regional blogs, so there's definitely something for everyone.