“In Straw in the Sun, Charlie May Simon never indulges in the easy dichotomies that poison our own politics and culture, for she finds neighborliness, knowledge, and beauty wherever she turns in rural Perry County, Arkansas.”
“Good stories are to be cherished and shared. They also help us understand ourselves and our communities.”
“Last spring I went to Rocky Crossing again. New green grass was sprouting on the high ridge of the road that led there…”
“…exposes the seedy underbelly of Boatright’s criminal influence on the otherwise idyllic Midwest at the dawn of the 20th century.”
“A wonderful, rewarding family memoir that will resonate both for elder veterans of the sixties and seventies ‘back to the land’ counter culture.”
“Whimsical and incisive in equal measure, Blevins blends the storytelling gifts of the folklorist with the keen lens of social science analysis.”