UNC Asheville Common Word Community Read Series to Discuss Charles Frazier’s “Thirteen Moons”

Event series to provide context to the novel's setting through a deep dive into Southern Appalachian and Cherokee history

See all events and learn more about the Common Word Community Read here.

Although Charles Frazier might be best known for his blockbuster debut novel "Cold Mountain," set in the American Appalachian South during the Civil War, which sold several million copies and was adapted into a 2004 film nominated for seven Academy Awards, UNC Asheville's Executive Director of Literary Arts, Wiley Cash '00, first came to know Frazier's work through "Thirteen Moons," his sophomore novel.

"Thirteen Moons" follows the story of Will Cooper, a character loosely based on William Holland Thomas, a merchant and attorney who assisted the Cherokee in resisting forced removal under the hand of President Andrew Jackson. This act eventually resulted in the establishment of the Qualla Boundary, where 14,000 enrolled members of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians still live.

The Fall 2024 Common Word Community Read, curated by Cash, will center around "Thirteen Moons," with three events delving into the history of the Cherokee people in the Southern Appalachian Mountains, where the book is set.

Hot Springs as the Literary Home of "Thirteen Moons" and Other Novels

On September 24 at 7 p.m. in the Manheimer Room 102 of the OLLI Reuter Center, author Terry Roberts will talk about his research into the history of Hot Springs, North Carolina, long a site of the Cherokee people and home to a succession of resorts that feature prominently in "Thirteen Moons."

Registration available here.

Cherokee, NC: From the Pages of History to the Contemporary Moment

On October 2, Shana Bushyhead Condill, executive director of the Museum of the Cherokee People, will host a curated day trip to Cherokee, North Carolina, featuring a tour of the museum's special collections; a trip to Kituwah, the Cherokee "Mother Town"; and a Native meal.

Registration available here. Transportation will be provided and seats are very limited. The cost of registration is $250, which covers transportation, programming, and lunch. The day will begin at the Cable Center for University Advancement & Philanthropy (118 WT Weaver Blvd.) at 8 a.m. and return at 4 p.m.

An Evening with Charles Frazier and Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle

On October 28 at 7 p.m. in the Manheimer Room 102 of the OLLI Reuter Center, Charles Frazier will be in conversation with Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle, author of "Even As We Breathe" and an enrolled citizen of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. The two will discuss Frazier's research while writing "Thirteen Moons," as well as the significance of the book being the first novel translated into the Cherokee syllabary.

Registration available here.

About the Common Word Community Read

The Common Word Community Read brings the UNC Asheville community together each semester around a shared text to engage in a collective educational experience that features lectures and discussions in a welcoming and respectful environment. The program is curated by Wiley Cash, New York Times bestselling author, alumnus of the class of 2000, and UNC Asheville's executive director of literary arts.