John McCauley
John W. McCauley, who compiled and edited the collection, writes nonfiction and poetry. His work has been published in anthologies, literary journals, magazines, newsletters, and newspapers. His poem ‘Appalachian Christmas’ was published alongside Christmas poems by legendary Kentucky Poet Laureates Jesse Stuart and Jim Wayne Miller. McCauley retired from a career that spanned over 40 years, which included an appointment by President Barack Obama. He served two terms on the Kentucky Governor’s Commission on Literacy and in that capacity chaired the Local Issues Task Force. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Jesse Stuart Foundation and the Bluegrass Writers Coalition.
Featured Book
Harvest of Life: Featuring Unpublished Essays from the Kentucky Hills
John W. McCauley has assembled a fascinating collection of 22 unpublished essays by Jesse Stuart, a very prolific writer in many genres. There emerges from this collection an informative view of Stuart’s relationship with the land and the people of Appalachian Kentucky. This book makes the work of a world-famous author accessible to today’s readers. Includes a Foreword by James M. Gifford, an Introduction and Afterword by McCauley, and black-and-white photographs and images of typed and handwritten manuscript pages and book covers.
Meet John McCauley and get a copy of their book at the 2026 Kentucky Book Festival, Saturday, November 7, 2026, at Joseph-Beth Booksellers.