Imagining Philadelphia Book

This book records a rare journey that begins with the author's return to her roots, a trip through the minds, hearts and souls of those she meets along the way. We are carried with her along county roads into the depths of hill country to visit those who hold within their spirits a simple love of the good things in life. The story speaks in the words of its author, who was born in a log cabin as the Great Depression had only begun to loosen its hold on the country. It also speaks in the voices of those who recall other hardships and earlier days. Stories of the Civil War, of hanging trees, of settlements long lost to time, of love stories that have withstood misfortune and the passage of years, of the simplicity and drudgery of life when a handful of coins was a rarity and music and the spoken word were the main source of entertainment. By listening to those who lived in there during such trying times, we share the happiness and sorrow, the joy and heartbreak inherent with surviving in the beautiful, ancient Ozark mountains.