Customer Reviews

Growing Up Hard in Harlan County

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

A must to read........
I felt I was there with him. I was eating the food and drinking the cold buttermilk. I could hear the heavy breathing of the mules going up the mountains of eastern Kentucky. This is a simple and straight look at a true and honest man, who taught himself and those around him that you choose your path in life. His seemed to be rewarded with an abundance of love.

I came across this book recently when the family home was in the process of being sold. It was a gift from my mother to my father, my father being born and spending part of his childhood in Harlan County, KY. I held onto it, and eventually got time to read it. As I got through most of the book, I found some interesting parallels in Mr. Jones' life and some of my family history. I was unaware of the history of "bloody Harlan," and learning about it, even if at this moment from only one voice, gave me a lot of insight on my family that I did not have before, and helped me understand how my family got to where it is now.

I HIGHLY recommend this book, to anyone who has ties to Harlan County, KY, easter Kentucky in general, or for anyone who enjoys the stories of a man who never knew the meaning of a vacation.

I read this book many years ago when it first was published in hard cover and I've never forgotten it. Highly recommended, especially for anyone nostalgic for the "old days."

I can't enjoy the story telling style of this book since the rythm & repetition of this book strikes me as annoying. Some recognizable dialogue would do this writing some good. While I can appreciate the setting & subject matter here, I must say that this book is hard to follow & I am disappointed.