Mules And Wildcat Heads

About the Book

This story is about those Eastern Kentucky hills in which I grew up; a story of the love and admiration for those who influenced me the most. This book is a compilation of those events in my life that I either lived or was passed on to me by those around me. They are told from the perspective of having experienced them, or from the point of view of those who were telling them. They tell of the lives of those closest to me, or those who genetically passed on to me all those things that make up my character and my being. I realize that it is a very much over used cliché, and has been written time and again, but this account of life in the hills truly was “The best of times and the worst of times.” These anecdotes cover the life of one hill boy who grew up in the head of a holler, who lived life and enjoyed the ride. In this story, I attempt to outline the life of this particular blessed young boy, who grew from a small kid who worked for his Grandfather for twenty-five cents an hour, attended a one room school second through seventh grade, and on to a small rural high school; worked his way through college by everything from sawmills, to construction, to pumping gas, and many things in between; finally finishing his career as an educator. (Teacher, principal, and assistant to the superintendent) Extensive use of humor is used in relating the story and gives the reader a glimpse of the boy in many of us. Even when the subject is sometimes sad or serious, the author attempts to relate the point in a humorous manner. The story is real, the people are real, the humor is real, and the sadness is real. It is the hope of the author that the reader will get a bird’s eye view of the life of a hill boy growing up in the 50’s & 60’s. I believe this book will invoke memories and nostalgia of those earlier years for the reader, whether you are from the city or a true Appalachian child.. REVIEWS: Alice Welty: I thoroughly enjoyed it. I could not put it down. Very funny. I could relate to a lot of the stories. Joanne Lawson: I really enjoyed it. A lot of people I know could definitely relate to it. I laughed a lot. Nonda Alexander: I don’t know how you are alive. You did so many crazy things. I thought it was very good and awfully funny. Barry Welty: I wish I could have read this while I was in your class. I believe I could have used it to get a better grade in physics. Funny. Bro. Tom Starks: Very funny but I had one problem. Having known you for only a little over a year, all I could do was to picture your big adult head on that little boy’s body, hot rodding around in all those stories. Eldon Bowling: Phone message: Great book! I would read awhile and cry awhile, then cry awhile and read awhile. Russell Young: I would read awhile and cry awhile. It was so close to the way I grew up. I loved it. Jim Cantrel: It was a great read. I have passed it around to my friends and they really like it. It has been passed around so much, I hope to get it back sometime.

About the Author

Garrett “Dean” Bowling is a retired educator now living in Bedford Kentucky. He taught math and physics for twenty-two years and Russian for two of those twenty-two years. He was a high school principal for six years and an assistant to the superintendent for a little over five. Currently he works part-time as a contractor and horse breeder. He is married with three children, five grandchildren, and one great grandchild.