The World Made Straight (2006) Signed First Edition Reference

The World Made Straight connects the 1863 Shelton Laurel Massacre — in which Confederate soldiers executed thirteen Unionist prisoners in the North Carolina mountains — to a present-day story of a teenager drawn into the marijuana trade. Published in 2006, the novel demonstrates Rash’s signature technique of layering historical trauma over contemporary narrative, showing how violence echoes through generations.

First Edition Identification

Publisher: Henry Holt and Company, New York Publication date: 2006 Format: Hardcover in dust jacket

Signed Copy Market Values

• Signed first edition, fine/fine: $40–$100
• Unsigned first edition: $8–$20

The novel was adapted into a film (2015) starring Noah Wyle. Rash’s historical layering technique is at its most effective here, and the book rewards readers who know the actual history of the Shelton Laurel Massacre.