Beyond Dark Hills : A Personal Story

by Jesse Stuart

Beyond Dark Hills was originally written by Jesse Stuart as a graduate school assignment at Vanderbilt University. Assigned to write an 18 page personal narrative, he turned in 322 pages about a seemingly simple farm boy and his family. His professor said, "I have been teaching for forty years and I have never read anything so...beautiful, tremendous and powerful..." Stuart shares with the reader all his youthful anxieties as he prepares for life and then ventures forth on his own. He freely shares his frustrations and successes, as he examines the forces that mold and shape him into a worldfamous author and educator.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir

416 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1938

About the author

Jesse Hilton Stuart was an American writer known for writing short stories, poetry, and novels about Southern Appalachia. Born and raised in Greenup County, Kentucky, Stuart relied heavily on the rural locale of Northeastern Kentucky for his writings. Stuart was named the Poet Laureate of Kentucky in 1954. He died at Jo-Lin nursing home in Ironton, Ohio, which is near his boyhood home.

Reviews

[Cwn_annwn_13 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such an amazing book. Stuart wrote this book which was more or less his life story up to that point as a young man and naively turned it in as a 320 page (much to the Professors horror!) term paper for a University class. Stuarts books hold a special place for me because for one they are just great, and for another one side of family comes from the part of eastern Kentucky Stuart is from. In Beyond Dark Hills he talks a lot about his love of the hills of eastern Kentucky and the spiritual connection he has to the land. Also many stories about the colorful characters he knew, his love of poetry, his struggles venturing out on his own both in working and in academia. Stuart was a brilliant sensitive man but also tough as they come working in steel mills, doing farm work and often having to take up for himself and physically fight. Stuarts books are a great look into the Appalachian culture of that time and show a side of America you can be proud of. They just don't make them like Jesse Stuart anymore.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always loved Jesse Stuart, as most of you well know by now, and have since childhood. For me he is a local author, a man who grew up in the same hills as me. Our families both came from Greenup and we just have so many people and places in common. There is little of his I have not read yet, and this for me was a reread.

Beyond Dark Hills was never a favorite when I was a child, but it has grown on me as I get older. I appreciate now his life story, the struggles he endured for education, and the life that he led. His story is one that matters to me, because I know the land he came from and how hard it is even now to get out of this place and be something more.

I just really, really, adore this man's work.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were passages in this book that glowed. If it could be cut down by about 200 pages, it might be one of my favorite books. As it was, I found it a hard slog wading through the repetition of the same thoughts over and over, waiting for the next jaw-dropping revelation about life in rural Appalachia during the depression, or the next beautiful turn of phrase. I did deeply feel and admire Jesse Stuart's determination to tell the story of his people and make their lives known.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

I only gave this 4 stars for the style of writing. Reminded me of Faulkner or Steinbeck in some ways. Also when I think that this was the first work of the author when he was quite young, I am impressed. I have already started searching for more of his books.

[Doctor VanNostrum · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had read several of Stuart’s later works first, and see that he reshaped some of the material from this book with To Teach, To Love. Stuart’s honesty and frank way of describing his home area is always interesting.

[Chris S.]

Best thing I've read in a while. Lots of action, he could sure tell a story!