He has no interest in swimming against the modern day turbulence-tide, but assumes the burdens of his daily tasks in a purposeful, easy-going manner. Then, satisfied that he has done a thorough job today, and undaunted by the tasks he faces tomorrow, he rests. These qualities separate him from his fellow men and are too often construed as faults.

It is my contention that society as a whole harbors many mistaken conceptions of the hillbilly's approach to life. It refers to his unhurried thoroughness as "laziness", and deems his directness of speech "illiteracy". His unshakable faith in God is called "superstition", and yet, the hillbilly is one of the few peoples on earth who has achieved, and retains, the most sought- after goal of mankind--happiness.

As the son of a West Virginia coal miner, I am a hillbilly--a proud hillbilly. I am extremely thankful to almighty God for allowing me to have my life formed in a place where people are what they appear to be. There are few pretenses in mountain country. As one grizzled old mountaineer put it: "I ain't got time fer sich foolishness." That simple statement contains the essence of the hillbilly lifestyle.

The poems and tales enclosed between the covers of this book emanate from deep within the hills of West Virginia. They disclose the unlimited freedom of imagination which can be nurtured by the bliss of contentment. They are meant to depict a moribund way of life from whose passing the world will not recover. They do not represent the hillbilly, only the hillbilly's creativity. When they are funny, laugh. When they are sad, cry; that's what a hillbilly would do.