Arkansas Hillbilly

Book excerpt: Arkansas Hillbilly is the account of a country boy’s experiences growing up in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains in Cleburne County, Arkansas. The story will make you laugh and cry, and it will certainly warm your heart. Author Carl J. Barger shares his memories of the hard times as well as the good. He tells about the struggles of a migrant family of thirteen who survive the Great Depression through hard work and faith. He describes his inward drive to rise above poverty, succeed as a school administrator, and be a good husband, father, and provider. This touching story spans the early 1900s to present day, as Barger shares what kept him motivated to achieve his goals and dreams of a better life. He details his roles as a husband, and the father of one biological child and two adopted children. The memoir includes the author’s successful search in finding his children’s biological parents. Barger credits his relationship with God as the number one reason for a life of blessings. He considers his story a blessing of God and a story that needed to be told.