Authors Les Kerr and George Humphries chronicle the history of the 16 th state of Union with “Tennessee” ( Graphic Arts Center Publishing Company). The book looks at the history, natural beauty and the cultures and diversity of the state.

T he nation’s largest public utility, the Tennessee Valley Authority was created during the Great Depression as a public works program. Erwin C. Hargove looks at the history of this organization and its lasting impact with “Prisoners of Myth: The Leadership of the Tennessee Valley Authority, 1933-1990” ( University of Tennessee Press). And for more on the subject Mark Allen Stevenson and TVA director Bill Baxter compiled images of the efforts with their book “Tennessee Valley Authority in Vintage Postcards (Postcard History)” (Arcadia Publishing). The photos show the personal story of the efforts during the early days of the project.

Where there aren’t dams in Tennessee there are falls, and many are breathtaking to see. Gregory Plumb has compiled the falls together in “Waterfalls of Tennessee: A Guide to Over 200 Falls in the Volunteer State” (Overmountain Press), which offers a look at the magnificent creations of nature, along with their official or unofficial names. Plumb has provided a rating system so visitors can choose which falls are must-sees and which aren’t that amazing.