John Ehle

John Ehle 19252018 was an influential American novelist and screenwriter often referred to as the father of Appalachian literature Born in Asheville North Carolina he served in the US Army during World War II before pursuing studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Ehles works such as The Land Breakers 1964 and The Winter People 1982 vividly depict life in the Appalachian Mountains blending historical fiction with rich storytelling He authored 17 books including both fiction and nonfiction and two of his novels were adapted into films The Winter People and The Journey of August King Beyond his literary contributions Ehle was deeply involved in social and educational initiatives in North Carolina including the creation of the North Carolina Fund to combat poverty He was married to British actress Rosemary Harris and their daughter is actress Jennifer Ehle