TICK RIDGE FACES THE SOUTH
Late last fall, I purchased a book entitled "Tick Ridge Faces The South" by Danny Fulks, author of "Tragedy on Greasy Ridge." It is a soft cover issue and the price I felt was quite reasonable. Mine cost only $14.95 plus tax. And I bought it at a supermarket in Barboursville.
After I had read it, I let my daughter have it to read. I don't think she ever did. But in any event it is back in my possession now. And I have again glanced through it just to make sure my original thoughts about it were correct. And they are.
His dedication tells quite a bit about both him and the book. It reads "This book is dedicated to men and women who work for the Man." Pretty straightforward. Just like his book.
In the book he tells some of the older tales of life in this area. But the real meat is his descriptions of the people who inhabit this area. His work as a teacher and a citizen of this area is brought forth to illustrate the backwardness and the beauty of the people who inhabit his book. Down to earth country people. College students just learning about life in the real world. Hopes. Dreams. Successes. Failures.
He includes a section on Floyd Collins who died after being trapped in a cave in Kentucky back in the 1920's, of the efforts to free him and of the circuslike atmosphere around the cave while those efforts were ongoing.
He tells of the hillside coal mines, of hunting and fishing, of his own life and his search for who and what he was and is. And perhaps more importantly, of why he is what he is. Country music. That godawful rock and roll invasion. And going back to the roots.
His book rolls on like that Buick Roadmaster one of his characters drives. And it rolls just right. A good read on a rainy day or a cold night before a fire. Laughter comes out whether you want it to or not, and an occasional tear as you recognize all your old buddies and your old girlfriends, and you are no longer old but young and remembering the good times.
All in all, a good read for anytime.
"Tick Ridge Faces the South", by Danny Fulks, published by Mountain Press, Ashland, KY, 2006
After I had read it, I let my daughter have it to read. I don't think she ever did. But in any event it is back in my possession now. And I have again glanced through it just to make sure my original thoughts about it were correct. And they are.
His dedication tells quite a bit about both him and the book. It reads "This book is dedicated to men and women who work for the Man." Pretty straightforward. Just like his book.
In the book he tells some of the older tales of life in this area. But the real meat is his descriptions of the people who inhabit this area. His work as a teacher and a citizen of this area is brought forth to illustrate the backwardness and the beauty of the people who inhabit his book. Down to earth country people. College students just learning about life in the real world. Hopes. Dreams. Successes. Failures.
He includes a section on Floyd Collins who died after being trapped in a cave in Kentucky back in the 1920's, of the efforts to free him and of the circuslike atmosphere around the cave while those efforts were ongoing.
He tells of the hillside coal mines, of hunting and fishing, of his own life and his search for who and what he was and is. And perhaps more importantly, of why he is what he is. Country music. That godawful rock and roll invasion. And going back to the roots.
His book rolls on like that Buick Roadmaster one of his characters drives. And it rolls just right. A good read on a rainy day or a cold night before a fire. Laughter comes out whether you want it to or not, and an occasional tear as you recognize all your old buddies and your old girlfriends, and you are no longer old but young and remembering the good times.
All in all, a good read for anytime.
"Tick Ridge Faces the South", by Danny Fulks, published by Mountain Press, Ashland, KY, 2006
posted by tanstaafl | 1:46 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home