Likely Stories - Spencer's Mountain by Earl Hamner Jr

“Spencer’s Mountain” is the real life story of Earl Hammer, Jr. You may more commonly know his story as the cherished television show, “The Waltons.” As in the show, the Spencer family in the book are rich in core values, but cash poor. The book follows the ever-growing Spencer family, their large extended family, and the small town run by The Company. The novel focuses on Clay-Boy, the eldest son of eleven children, as he forges into adulthood, and the entire family sacrifices what very little they have to send him to college.

For generations, the Spencers had lived on the mountain that bears their name. Hard times for all of America has changed this, and now Clay, the father, supports his family living in the Company town, working in the mill and doing any odd job available. This proud patriarch is determined every one of his children will get an education and graduate from high school, even though he only attended school for a few days. He won’t allow one of his thoroughbreds, as he calls his children, to work in the mill. Clay-Boy is the first to graduate, and he could also be the first from the town to go to college. There is quite a lie cooked up by the local teacher and the Baptist preacher to get Clay-Boy a scholarship to attend the University of Richmond. Clay-Boy might as well be flying to Mars, let alone the Moon, so any help is necessary. Clay, however, is soon forced to make a distressing sacrifice to make his son’s impossible college dreams come true.

Juggling always taking care of his siblings, working on a house on the mountain with his father, and his first romance with a girl who is worldly beyond Clay-Boy’s experience, makes for a busy, funny, and heartwarming time for this young man.

I cannot believe it has taken me all this time to read “Spencer’s Mountain” since I grew up watching “The Waltons.” We never missed an episode. Some of the chapters in the book were lifted straight onto the television screen, but much of the book will be fresh to you.

“Spencer’s Mountain” is both a coming of age story and remembering a time when the value of the love and strength of a family was more important than money in the bank. I know you will delight in this true story.

Goodnight Mary Ellen. Goodnight John-Boy.

RECENT EPISODES OF LIKELY STORIES

Likely Stories - The Correspondent by Virginia Evans

Hello, and welcome to Likely Stories, everyone. I’m Paige Connell, and I am an English teacher, so it feels like, sometimes daily, I am “fighting the good fight” against the use of AI in place of real thinking and writing, the omnipresence of technology in our communication, and the detriment that those things can produce in a new generation. But lest I sound too cranky, let me say what a refreshing delight it was to read The Correspondent by Virginia Evans (and I do mean read it in physical form versus listening or reading on my Kindle, as even I am wont to often do).

Likely Stories - Love, Sivvy by R.L. Toalson

I'm Joe Riley, and this is Likely Stories. I recently accompanied my wife, a school librarian, to the Texas Library Association convention. She won an award, and I'm proud of her, but this is not a review of her, but rather of a book she picked up there: an autographed copy of 'Love, Sivvy', a novel inspired by the life letters and diaries of young Sylvia Plath.

Likely Stories - Saints and Liars by Deborah Dwork

I consider myself a fairly courageous person, but I will confess after reading this book, I’ve decided maybe not. To purposefully travel to foreign countries to put yourself in harm’s way to protect complete strangers is a level of bravery reserved for the military, not your neighbors.Welcome to “Likely Stories.”I’m Diane Kemper.

Likely Stories - Trouble Boys by Bob Mehr

Hi, Malcolm Foster here, operations assistant at KWBU and habitual stacker of books that one day, hopefully, will eventually be read. For this week's episode of Likely Stories, I’m combining two of my passions. Music and the written word.

Likely Stories - The Academy by Elin Hilderbrand

Hi, and welcome back to another edition of Likely Stories. I’m Paige Connell, and I teach English at Midway High School. Growing up, I went to a private school for many years, though it wasn’t a boarding school, and whether it’s in real life or in pop culture, I think there’s just something about the prestige and allure of a private academy that makes people want to know all the potentially lurid details of life behind the curtain.

Likely Stories - Why I Love Horror by Becky Siegel Spatford

I have a confession to make. I hate jump-scare horror movies. I always have. I don’t enjoy being startled. It took me until adulthood before I could even watch fireworks without bracing myself for the next explosion. (Truth be told, I still kind of do). I’m not a huge fan of gory horror movies either. And yet, I absolutely love horror novels.

Likely Stories - Something We Said: Richard Pryor, a Notorious Word and Me by Elizabeth Stordeur Pryor

I’m Kevin Tankersley, and this is Likely Stories.

Likely Stories - The Land and Its People by David Sedaris

My name is Maggie McCarthy and today I will be reviewing The Land and Its People by David Sedaris.

Likely Stories - Two Old Women by Velma Wallis

I'm not a huge fan of hot weather. My summer reads tend to be set in cold climates, in wintertime- books that take me away from the heart of Texas. Two Old Women by Velma Wallis is a perfect diversion.

Likely Stories - A Short Stay in Hell by Steven L Peck

Imagine if one day you suddenly discovered that the tenets that have governed your life, through no choice of your own, have been undeniably broken. This is exactly where protagonist Soren Johanssen finds himself at the start of Steven L Peck’s novella, ‘A Short Stay in Hell.’