North Carolina’s Only Local Literary Television Series Returns with “Holy Smoke”
Authors John Shelton Reed and Dale Volberg Reed Kick Off the 12th Season of
North Carolina Bookwatch, Sunday, July 5, at 5 PM

Each year, North Carolina authors publish hundreds of books of all types and for the past 11 seasons UNC-TV’s local literary series North Carolina Bookwatch has brought the best and brightest of these southern scribes to the small screen—shedding light on their works, their lives, and the indelible imprint that the state has left upon them.

And now, North Carolina Bookwatch books even more great writers than ever before when the popular series embarks on its all-new 12th season, premiering Sunday, July 5 at 5 PM, when authors John Shelton Reed and Dale Volberg Reed present their authoritative, spirited, and often opinionated, new book, Holy Smoke, a passionate exploration of the lore, recipes, traditions, and people who have helped shape North Carolina's signature slow-food dish.

In Holy Smoke, these barbecue devotees, along with co-author William McKinney, trace the origins of North Carolina 'cue and the emergence of the heated rivalry between Eastern and Piedmont styles. In it, they provide detailed instructions for cooking barbecue at home, along with recipes for the traditional array of side dishes that should accompany it. The final section of the book presents some of the people who cook barbecue for a living, recording firsthand what experts say about the past and future of North Carolina barbecue.

In the premiere episode of North Carolina Bookwatch’ s latest season, the two authors share North Carolina's “barbeculture,” as they call it, and how Holy Smoke offers a one-of-a-kind exploration of the Tar Heel barbecue tradition. “North Carolina barbecue is not about innovation or individual choice. It’s about tradition,” says John Shelton Reed.

John Shelton Reed and Dale Volberg Reed live in Chapel Hill, NC. Both are members of the Southern Foodways Alliance and the North Carolina Barbecue Society. They have collaborated on other books, including 1001 Things Everyone Should Know about the South and Cornbread Nation 4: The Best of Southern Food Writing.

Don’t miss DG Martin’s all-new interview with John Shelton Reed and Dale Volberg Reed on North Carolina Bookwatch, Sunday, July 5, at 5 PM, only on UNC-TV!

During the 26-week season of North Carolina Bookwatch, guests will also include:  Justin Catanoso (My Cousin the Saint), Todd Johnson (The Sweet By and By), Michael Walden
(North Carolina in the Connected Age), Barbara Fredrickson (Positivity), Michael Davis

(Street Gang), Dan Ariely (Predictably Irrational), Howard Lee (The Courage to Lead), Marianne Gingher (Adventures in Pen Land), and Dan Barefoot (Hark the Sound of Tar Heel Voices).

“Looking over the impressive lineup of our state’s authors scheduled for the new season of North Carolina Bookwatch and thinking about the chance to visit with each of them, I can’t wait for it all to begin,” lauds North Carolina Bookwatch host, D.G. Martin.

For additional information about series guests and airdates, plus links to the Bookwatch blog and online book club, please visit: www.unctv.org/ncbookwatch.

Funding for North Carolina Bookwatch is provided by UNC-TV members and by Quail Ridge Books and Music, Raleigh’s independent, full service bookstore, bringing readers and writers together since 1984.

North Carolina Bookwatch is part of UNC-TV’s ongoing commitment to produce programs for and about North Carolina. UNC-TV is the statewide 11-station broadcast network of the University of North Carolina. For more information, please visit www.unctv.org/ncbookwatch.

For more information about North Carolina Bookwatch and UNC-TV’s other original productions, please visit our website at www.unctv.org.