Reviews and Acknowledgements for “Faces of Pilot Mountain”
Forward of Faces of Pilot Mountain released on May 18, 2023:
I was spellbound by your eloquent words about Pilot Mountain. From the beginning of the book, you feel like you are reading about a mystery in nearly every page. It's hard to put the book down, even to gorge on a pork chop sandwich at Snappy's in nearby Mt. Airy.
With my respect and admiration for your great work in making history come alive.
-Rufus Edmisten
North Carolina Attorney General (1974-1984)
North Carolina Secretary of State (1989-1996)
Member of the Watergate Committee who personally severed President Nixon with a subpoena
Born in Boone, North Carolina and live in Raleigh, North Carolina, where he practices law and is cohost of a weekly gardening radio show on WPTF-FM
5.0 out of 5 stars - Great for background information on Pilot Mountain
I've visited Pilot Mountain State Park several times over the last 10 years. The mountain is a striking geological feature, both from a distance and when close-up on trails, which I greatly enjoyed but I didn't didn't know much about the history of the mountain or the area. McKelvey's book is a highly recommended read to fill in the gap, covering topics like local geology/geography, Native American stories, development of the surrounding area by homesteading settlers, history of private ownership of the mountain before it became a state park, and how the mountain has served as a beacon and guidepost for travelers for thousands of years. Clearly the author did a lot of painstaking research and spent a lot of time at the Park, and his personal stories from the families of previous private owners are fascinating. The kindle version I purchased has lots of interesting images and the author hints of forthcoming volumes that delve more deeply in the mysteries of the mountain and it's potential uses in pre-history times.
After my read of the book, I went camping at Pilot Mountain State Park with a new-found appreciation for the history of the area, the park, and unique features of the area. It was fun to share stories from the book with my wife and college age son (camping with me) as we explored the along the trails, found some of unusual rock features (e.g. stone heads) described in the book, compared photos, and made our own stories.
Thumbs up, McKelvey!
Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2023 by David G. on Amazon
Cosmic Summit 2024
McKelvey actually says the mountain is a pyramid. That’s interesting, okay. When I first heard that from J.P., because we’ve been in touch about a year and a half, I thought he was out of his mind.
From a Youtube post-review of Cosmic Summit 2024 by George Howard (producer of Cosmic Summit)
Cosmic Summit 2024
Thanks for coming JP. I’m reading it now, great book. I can’t wait for the field trip next year my man.
From a post-review of Cosmic Summit 2024 on X by George Howard (producer of Cosmic Summit)
Faces of Pilot Mountain was selected on February 6, 2025 by a committee to be included and cataloged to become part of the history of the State of North Carolina in the Government & Heritage Library in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Faces of Pilot Mountain was selected on May 13, 2025 to be in the Library of Congress collection in Washington, D.C.
5.0 out of 5 stars - Great study of a unique and beautiful mountain
Excellent research makes for a thoroughly informative and entertaining book. Although I live only a few miles away from the mountain, Mr. McKelvey shares information I’d never heard. Wonderful read!!
Reviewed in the United States on August 10, 2023 by Robert Smith on Amazon
Mysterious pyramid shadow casts from Pilot Mountain during the spring equinox
McKelvey's recent book, "Faces of Pilot Mountain: Intriguing Journey into the Deep Mysteries" focuses on images visible in the quartzite that he believes is rock art . If you have read his book, you might never be able to unsee the faces on the cliffs looking toward the foothills in all directions from Pilot Knob.
Reviewed by WXII-TV on March 22, 2025 by reporter Michelle Kennedy