Hie to the Hunters (1950)

Jesse Stuart was a great author who lived an amazing life. His family was very poor, and though they loved the land they could never hold on to one piece of it. His parents had no book learning. Mr. Stuart went to incredible lengths to get a very extensive education but never lost his love of the beautiful farmland and wildland of the mountains. Once he had money, he set out to buy every piece of land his father had farmed. He stayed friends with the simple folks he knew when young. This book tells they story of both sides of the world he grew up in, the town, with its school and fancy people, and the hills with the plain folks he loved so much. In later life he travelled around the world telling others about the beautiful country and genuine people he grew up with and trying to fight poverty and ignorance. I am so glad "Hie to the Hunters" is still in print so young people will remember this amazing man and his world.

This is one of the most heart warming stories I have ever read. I am 64 years old and read this book when I was about 12 years old and it has stuck with me for many years. I am buying one for my Grand Children to read and hope they find the love, trust and beauty that I found in these pages.

I've read this book many times and it still brings Laughter and tears into my life. The witty "Sparkie" charactor is a Southern down to earth no nonsense fellow with a heart as big as Texas.Put yourself into this book once and take it for a spin.

I first read Hie to the Hunters as a young boy. I still read it every other year or so. This is a young person's book with many adult lessons. Sparkie is a 16 year-old, tobacco chewin', fox huntin', overgrown teenager from the hills of Kentucky. He rescues Did Hargis from two bullies who are using him for a punching bag, and takes him home to the hills. Did is a soft city-slicker kid who is the resident poster boy of the local school. When Did first meets Sparkie's father "Peg" and mother "Arn" he is amused at their homey mannerisms and country ways. But Did soon learns that all knowledge is not found in books. He learns from his new family more than he had ever learned from his own father who operates the local hardware store. He even learns to sleep in the barn's hay loft with a hound dog or two for a blanket. Sparkie and Did coon hunt, fox hunt, and run a trap-line together. At first Did is all thumbs, but he soon learns the tricks of being a mountain-man and fits right in. Meanwhile, a feud is brewing between the fox-hunters and the tobacco-growers. The tobacco-growers blame the fox-hunters for letting their hounds run through their tobacco and so they set out poison in the tobacco fields. In retaliation, tobacco barns start going up in flames one by one. Also, Did's dad isn't too happy about his leaving home to live among these "backward hillbillies" and gets the sheriff and town locals after Sparkie's folks. Did wants to stay, and the result is a cornfield fight between the mountain people and the city people. The mountain folk are at the annual corn-shuckin' when trouble breaks out. Did has just found a red ear (and thereby earned a kiss from his girl) when his dad and half the town come over the hill. Corn-stalks, fists, and insults are flying all around that night, but the issue still isn't settled. There's much more to read about in this warm, moving, fictional account of two boys from different worlds learning how to be men together. The language in the book reminds one of the movie Sergeant York. If this all sounds interesting, believe me, this book is fun, action-packed, and moving. I recommend it to anyone who longs for simpler days and true family values. Hie to the Hunters is a classic.--Note: Update of earlier posting

I first read Hie to the Hunters as a young boy. I still read it every other year or so. This is a young person's book with many adult lessons. Sparkie is a 16 year-old, tobacco chewin', fox huntin', overgrown teenager from the hills. He rescues Did Hargis from two bullies, who are using him for a punching bag, and takes him home. Did is a soft, city-slicker kid who is the resident poster boy of the local school. When Did first meets Sparkie's father, "Peg" and mother "Arn", he is amused at their homey mannerisms and country ways. But Did soon learns that all knowledge is not found in books. He learns from his new family more than he had ever learned from his own father who operates the local hardware store. He even learns to sleep in the barn's hay loft with a hound or two for a blanket. Sparkie and Did coon hunt, fox hunt, and run a trap-line together. At first Did is all thumbs; but he soon learns the tricks of being a mountain-man and fits right in. Meanwhile, a feud is brewing between the fox-hunters and the tobacco-growers. The tobacco-growers blame the fox-hunters for letting their hounds run through their tobacco and so they set out poison in the tobacco fields. In retaliation, tobacco barns start going up in flames one by one. Also, Did's dad isn't too happy about his leaving home to live among these "backward hillbillies' and gets the sherriff and town locals after Sparkie's folks. Did wants to stay and the result is a cornfield fight between the mountain people and the city people. The mountain folk are at the annual corn-shucking when trouble breaks out. Did has just found a red ear (and thereby earned a kiss from his date) when his dad and half the town come over the hill. Corn stalks, fists, and insults are flying all around that night, but the issue still isn't settled. There's much more to read about in this warm, moving, fictional account of two boys from different worlds learning how to be men together. The language in the book reminds one of the movie "Sergeant York". If this all sounds interesting, believe me, this book is fun, action-packed, and moving. I recommend it to anyone who longs for simpler days and true family values. Hie to the Hunters is a classic