My memoir is a classic "fish out of the water story" detailing my experiences coming from Washington DC to a small town in Appalahia, Portsmouth, Ohio. My memoir details what transpired living as I did in the backwoods of Appalachia; the memorable human and animal characters I met that taught me numerous life lessons. I bonded to the people, to the animals, to the very red clay dirt forming the foundation of the Ohio River valley, so even this became hallowed ground.How this transpired lies at the heart of my memoir.
Ultimately I found a wife and family, a home, and the very meaning for my life.
This is also a mirrored companion story of a poor rural southern zohio town, Portsmouth, Ohio, that just could never get any respect. This town is in the midst of its own transformation. Southern Ohio, as a part of the heartland of America, has weathered many struggles, but has not only survived, but now appears to be thriving. Rural America has been slowly recreating itself, and is now part of a new American manufacturing renaissance, still in its infancy.