April’s Worthy Ground Book Club

Worthy Ground’s Book Club is a space for shared learning and reflection on the ideas, stories, and histories shaping long term recovery in Appalachia.

Each month, we invite a guest from across our regional ecosystem to select a piece of reading that has influenced how they think about community, resilience, and the future of this region. These selections may be books, essays, articles, or other written works that help us better understand the work of rebuilding and sustaining our communities over time.

This month’s recommendation comes from Rev. Ryan M. Eller, Executive Director of the Appalachia Funders Network.

Ryan selected All These Ghosts by Silas House, a collection of poems that reflects on memory, place, grief, and the ways the past continues to shape the present.

About Ryan Eller

Rev. Ryan M. Eller leads the Appalachia Funders Network, a network working to strengthen philanthropic partnership and investment across Appalachia.

A descendant of generations from the region, Ryan’s work has long centered storytelling, narrative change, and systems level impact. Before joining AFN, he served as Executive Director of Define American and has led projects across philanthropic, faith based, and justice centered spaces. He currently also serves as President of The Beloved Community Foundation.

A Timely Reflection

Earlier this month, the Appalachia Funders Network gathered for its annual convening from April 12th to the 15th. During that time, Silas House spoke about the complicated love of Appalachia, the tension of holding both pride and pain, history and possibility.

That conversation carries into this month’s selection.

Ryan shared that he is currently reading All These Ghosts to stay sane during these times. Before diving in, take a moment to hear from Silas House directly.

This short reading from author Silas House offers a glimpse into the tone and themes of All These Ghosts and how memory, place, and voice shape the stories we carry.

Ryan chose these works because they hold together two truths Appalachia knows well.

We are shaped by what we carry, and responsible for what we build next.

Reflecting on All These Ghosts, he writes:

“In All These Ghosts, a collection of poems by Silas House, alongside a powerful interview with Barbara Kingsolver, we are reminded that our past is never past. It lives in our people, our places, and the stories we tell about them. That conversation, in particular, underscores that who gets to tell those stories is inseparable from questions of power and possibility. The stories emerging from storms like Helene and major floods shape us, and how we respond as a community defines us.”

Why It Matters

At Worthy Ground, we focus on what long term recovery actually looks like after the headlines fade.

That work is not only about rebuilding infrastructure. It is also about understanding the histories, relationships, and narratives that shape how communities move forward.

All These Ghosts reminds us that the past is not separate from the present. It lives in our communities, our landscapes, and the stories we carry. In that way, storytelling is not separate from recovery. It is part of how people make meaning, hold onto dignity, and shape what comes next.

Read With Us

If you would like to read along this month, we encourage you to support independent bookstores whenever possible, including The Read Spotted Newt in Hazard, Kentucky.

You can also purchase through Bookshop.org, which supports locally owned bookstores across the country.