The economy didn't go through the Great Depression - people did. Margaret DuBois grew up in a period of historic deprivation. Her family had to retreat to her grandparents' Ozark farm to survive. The farm patriarch, her grandfather, was an orator - a minister who had once served as a State Legislator. Their home-life differed from most similarly-situated Ozark families in its focus on spiritual duties and the love of learning. Books lined their shelves. Political bombast and pious sermon occupied their dinners. They didn't get up pre-dawn as most farm families did. Hard times drew out the best and worst of human character. As she watched her family cope with all manner of human failing, and unremitting rotten luck, Margaret saw that people are complex and rife with contradictions. In her family's composure through bitter disappointments she saw a strength of character worthy of remembrance. And on that rocky ground where the DuBois family held fast, she hatched her dreams.

The Ozarks conveys a different mental image for everyone. Some visualize long black beards, moonshine whiskey, and corncob pipes, while others imagine canoe trips down clear, free-flowing, gravel-bottom streams, oak and hickory forests, a log cabin nestled in a wooded grove, and a wisp of blue-gray smoke floating above a native stone chimney. Life in the Missouri Ozarks was hard and taken seriously. At the same time, the folks who scratched out a living from the rocky ground never lost their sense of humor and the zest for life. Pie suppers, turkey shoots, and church were time for folks to get together and catch up on what was happening with their neighbors. Between the covers of this book, you will experience colorful characters, boyhood shenanigans, and a real feel for what is was like to be a big-city kid moving back to his ancestral roots. If you haven't experienced the sweetness of a ripe watermelon chilled in a cold spring and laced with high-quality moonshine, you should add it to your bucket list. Or better yet, discover the experience through the tale of an innocent boy's first taste.

Best Tent Camping: Missouri and the Ozarks by Steve Henry leads readers to 50 quiet and beautiful camping hideaways in Missouri and northwest Arkansas. In addition to scenic beauty and relaxing atmosphere, campground profiles also include tips for outdoor activities and points of interest. Especially helpful is the “Best For…” lists that guide readers to the top campgrounds for picturesque environment, families, hiking, swimming, cycling and mountain biking, and more. Whether campers are looking for a places to fish, hike, and canoe or the best sites for photography, Henry provides plenty of information to make choosing the right campsite easy. Not only does each campsite profile include a description and map, Henry includes ratings on the beauty, privacy, spaciousness, and cleanliness of each site. Best Tent Camping: Missouri and the Ozarks makes planning your camping trip easy and enjoyable!