From its headwaters in western North Carolina near the Tennessee line, the New River runs north 337 miles, cutting through the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and West Virginia on its way to the Ohio. No big cities inhabit its banks — just a few small towns along the way — and it carries no significant commercial traffic. The New River’s age is debated, but it is certainly one of the world’s oldest rivers. This anthology assembles history, poetry, essays and stories by writers who have been inspired by the secluded river, and from those whose lives are connected to its flow. Contributors hail from Ashe, Alleghany, Watauga and Wilkes counties in North Carolina, as well as Virginia and West Virginia. The editors are writer Chris Arvidson of West Jefferson, photographer Scot Pope of Creston and writing instructor Julie E. Townsend of Fleetwood. Published by McFarland of Jefferson. Softcover, 188 pages, $19.99.

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