Bea grows up dirt poor among the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in central West Virginia. Theres lots of work to do, and amenities such as indoor plumbing and central heating are nonexistent. While others in Nicholas County had it tough, no one else had to suffer the type of abuse she did at home. Beas father runs his household like a dictator, and hes never hesitant to abuse his daughter whenever she does anything not to his liking. Bea gets slapped, kicked, and beaten even at five years old. While Beas spirit sometimes wavers as a result of being unable to please her father, her story is ultimately one of survival. By never giving up and trusting in God, she overcomes years of abuse, proving that fate and faith can lead to dreams that victims of abuse often think are unattainable. Become immersed in a story that defines the true meaning of determination as Bea recounts a journey that will inspire anyone who has ever suffered or felt like giving up in Appalachian Child.

Bea grows up dirt poor among the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in central West Virginia. There's lots of work to do, and amenities such as indoor plumbing and central heating are nonexistent. While others in Nicholas County had it tough, no one else had to suffer the type of abuse she did at home. Bea's father runs his household like a dictator, and he's never hesitant to abuse his daughter whenever she does anything not to his liking. Bea gets slapped, kicked, and beaten even at five years old. While Bea's spirit sometimes wavers as a result of being unable to please her father, her story is ultimately one of survival. By never giving up and trusting in God, she overcomes years of abuse, proving that fate and faith can lead to dreams that victims of abuse often think are unattainable. Become immersed in a story that defines the true meaning of determination as Bea recounts a journey that will inspire anyone who has ever suffered or felt like giving up in Appalachian Child.

Imagine a 7-year-old boy asking his father if they can hike the entire Appalachian Trail, and then imagine that the father says yes.

Bea grows up dirt poor among the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in central West Virginia. Theres lots of work to do, and amenities such as indoor plumbing and central heating are nonexistent. While others in Nicholas County had it tough, no one else had to suffer the type of abuse she did at home. Beas father runs his household like a dictator, and hes never hesitant to abuse his daughter whenever she does anything not to his liking. Bea gets slapped, kicked, and beaten even at five years old. While Beas spirit sometimes wavers as a result of being unable to please her father, her story is ultimately one of survival. By never giving up and trusting in God, she overcomes years of abuse, proving that fate and faith can lead to dreams that victims of abuse often think are unattainable. Become immersed in a story that defines the true meaning of determination as Bea recounts a journey that will inspire anyone who has ever suffered or felt like giving up in Appalachian Child.

Child of the Woods is a uniquely beautiful collection of short stories and observations from Susi Seguret's experiences growing up in the natural settings of rural Appalachia. Immerse yourself in the vibrant and exciting world of Appalachia! Child of the Woods is an exploration of the world through the eyes of a young child, whose life was defined and enriched by nature that surrounded her. This collection of short stories and insights highlights the wonders of growing up in rural Appalachia, learning to live as one with the land. These stories embrace the universal themes of self-discovery, adventure, and finding one's place in a living world.

This thoughtful, compassionate book makes a major contribution to our understanding of the Southern Appalachian child—his mental disorders and his adaptive strengths. Drawing upon his extensive fieldwork as a clinical child psychiatrist in Eastern Kentucky, Dr. Looff suggests means by which these children can be helped to bridge the gap between their subculture and the mainstream of American life today. The children described in this book, the author points out, are in a real sense not "all children." Since no child grows up in a vacuum, the children of Eastern Kentucky cannot be understood apart from the historical, geographic, and socioeconomic characteristics of the area in which they grow. Knowledge of the children requires some knowledge of the lives of parent, teachers, and the many others upon whom they are dependent. That is to say, mental disorder—or mental health—is embedded in a social matrix. Dr. Looff therefore examines the milieu of these Southern Appalachian children, their future as adults, and how they can achieve their potential—whether in their native or an urban setting. In viewing the children within their own cultural framework, Dr. Looff shows how they develop toward mental health or psychopathology, suggesting supportive techniques that build upon the strengths inherent in each child. These strengths, he suggests, rise out of the same culture that burdens the child with handicaps. Dr. Looff's position is one of guarded optimism, based on the successes of the techniques he has used and observed in seven years of work in Appalachian field clinics. Although he details instances of mental disorder in children, and instances of failure in family functioning, he notes at the same time family strengths and sees these strengths as sources of hope. Although this book is based on fieldwork techniques within a specific area and culture, it is paradigmatically suggestive of wider application. Dr. Looff demonstrates effectively and clearly the profound need for increased concern about what is happening to the rising generation—the children of Eastern Kentucky, the children of the Southern Appalachian region, and the children of the rural south.