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.