Cover Design and Photo

The cover design and photo are by David Lee Thompson.  Pictured are my grandsons, Tanner Noel Thompson, age 3 and Andrew Jordan Thompson, age 6.  The snapshot for the cover was taken where the Madison Creek tributary empties into the Guyandotte River in Salt Rock, West Virginia.

Dedication

This memoir is dedicated to my mother and father—Jack and Marie Thompson—whose house now stands empty and lonely, its walls containing only faint whispers of what was once alive with laughter and reminiscences on Sunday afternoons.  They taught us love, honesty, morality, and compassion for our fellow man, but above all, they taught us the importance of being faithful to God by example of their goodness.  I miss what we once shared in our house on Bowen Creek—that is gone—but nothing can erase the river of memories that flood my soul.  Those are eternal.

Synopsis From  Inside Flap of Hardcover Edition 

Inspired by his desire to share his Appalachian boyhood with future generations, David Lee Thompson has written  a series of stories, depicting his life in Bowen Creek, West Virginia, during the 1940s and '50s.  With a trip out West providing the backdrop, the author weaves story after story into a nostalgic piece of work, portraying life as he experienced it, in the heart of Appalachia.  One of these, "A Framework for Happiness," was published in a book entitled The Life Writing Class.  Now, in River of Memories, the author shares more humorous and heartwarming tales, with vivid accounts of everyday life.  From his birth in a "tater-knobbed" house to his stint in the Vietnam War, Thompson's journey from boyhood to manhood displays his strong ties to the Appalachian culture.  As Dr. Alan B. Gould of Marshall University states, "The author's recollections of a bygone era not only produces a 'river of memories' for himself, but provides the reader with warm and colorful insights into the customs, habits, and traditions of the Appalachian way of life."

Endorsements

"David Lee Thompson has produced a caring and introspective personal account of the vanishing Appalachian culture.  This way of life existed for over twelve generations, teaching its people the importance of family, community, and religion.  Thompson's old home place, now empty and lonely, holds faint whispers of what was once alive with laughter and reminiscences.  His boyhood memories of life on Bowen Creek represent the last vestiges of a time and place now nearly extinct."

~Dr. Alan B. Gould, Executive Director, The John Deaver Drinko Academy, Marshall University

"From the first pioneers who struggled west to make a home among our hills and hollows, our families have been our culture's backbone.  The portrait of Appalachian life David Thompson paints is one familiar to generations of Southern West Virginians.  It is a history that should be saved and valued."

~U.S. Representative Nick Rahall (WV)

"As readers journey along in David Thompson's River of Memories, they uncover truths about themselves and gain a better understanding about life in Appalachia.  This is especially true for those of us who have strong ties with its people, helping us appreciate our heritage even more."

~Shawn W. Coffman, M.D., Huntington Internal Medicine Group

Preface

In June 1999, I retired from teaching.  In the fall, while my wife, Janet, was still teaching, I wrote a fifty-four page booklet entitled Cry Like a Baby.  It contained nine stories about my early years on Bowen Creek withb my parents, two brothers, and three sisters.  Eight copies were comb bound at Office Depot—one for each of my five siblings, one for each of my two sons, and one for myself.  I couldn't afford more.  At Christmastime, these copies were given to those mentioned.  

Shortly thereafter, I began receiving phone calls, letters, and e-mail from my brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, and from friends of all.  Everyone was complimentary, and some wanted their own personal copy—signed.  Although I was elated with everyone's reaction, I still wasn't satisfied with what I'd done.  The autumn of 1999 hadn't been enough time to have my say.

In January 2001, there was an advertisement in the newspaper about a life-writing class being taught at the Huntington Museum of Art, with John Patrick Grace, Ph.D., of Publishers Place as instructor.  Janet said, "Here's your chance to write more."  Consequently, I enrolled in the January class and the one in the fall of 2001 as well.  Since then, I have added a great deal to the original nine chapters, have written four new chapters, a lengthy introduction, and an epilogue.  Now, it's time to share my work with others.

Selected Readings

Purchasing Information

• Biography & Autobiography / General
• Publication Date:  Dec-2002
• Price:  $14.95 (paperback) $24.95 (hardcover)
• Size:  6 x 9
• Author:  David Lee Thompson
• ISBN:  0-595-26194-9 (paperback)
• ISBN:  0-595-65550-5 (hardcover)
• 226 Pages
• Designated as Editor's Choice and Reader's Choice by iUniverse

Where can I purchase River of Memories?

Library and Bookstore Purchasing Websites

 

Released in April 2006

Touching the Ancient One can be ordered at the Wheatmark Bookstore site, Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com, Borders, booksamillion.com, and several other online booksellers. Be sure to check these links for the best price.