Review from Big D

Lots of good insight and memory material here which calls to mind a way of life long gone. Thank goodness in many way, not so much so in others. We wish we had the family values and experiences of this time, but not the outdoor privies, walking miles to school,(uphill both ways, no doubt). This book reminds those of us who were there, products of this time, what it was like and provides younger generations a chance to see what it was "really like" in "the good ole days." Some of it good, some of it not so good. A good editor could have made this an exceptional book. As it is, it is good, a warm hearted memoir of a time gone by. The chapters on strip mining and Appalachia idioms were exceptional, alone almost worth the price of the book. Big D on Amazon

In My Own Words: Just an ole country boy, raised in small town Alabama, born to parents who loved--and cared--about me...went to Auburn University in 1965, earned a degree in Journalism, and worked for the University 36 years before retiring in 2006. .

By Jewell M. Harwood

This review is from: Remembering the 40's in the Heart of Appalachia (Paperback)

"I hope this boy has a guardian angel." I said to myself as I began Fields' account of his journey from curious youngster to daring teen to contributing adult. From betting on chicken fights to hopping coal trains, the author shares his young life lived on the edge. Happily, he does have a guiding hand in the form of Mr. Oliver, the school teacher who came to Whitaker Elementary School in the nick of time. Remembering The 40's in the Heart of Appalachia could have been the story of the school master who played a pivotal role in the salvation of a young Appalachian youth. He figures prominately in almost every story, teaching a sense of history as well as sportsmanship, logical inquiry and mountain politics. For folks familiar with life in the hills of Eastern Kentucky, Fields leads the reader on a sentimental journey concluding with a dictionary of "hill speak". For those interested in a culture within a culture (Appalachia), Fields speaks with an authentic voice of a place and its people that lives within many a displaced heart. I plan to revisit Remembering the 40's in the Heart of Appalachia whenever I need a "fix" from home.