Feud: Hatfields, McCoys, and Social Change in Appalachia, 1860-1900

Providing more than a narration of the events, Altina L. Waller tells the real story of the Hatfields and McCoys instead of perpetuating the myths surrounding them. At the same time, she analyzes the fundamental social and cultural tensions underlying the feud. She argues that it was not an outgrowth of traditional mountain culture but rather a contest for social and economic control between local people and outside industrial capitalists.