The Way We Were--Part 2 - by Lonnie Whitaker (Paperback)

About the Book

Nostalgic stories of the 1950s and 1960s Missouri Ozarks from the author's award-winning newspaper column. A time of one-room schools and small-town teenagers cruising Main Street listening to AM radios.

Book Synopsis

The Way We Were . . . Personal Reflections on Life in the Ozarks-Part 2 is a curated collection of 53 articles from Lonnie Whitaker's award-winning newspaper column in the Howell County News in Willow Springs, Missouri. The stories recall a time when one-room schools still populated the hills, and small-town teenagers in cars equipped with stick shifts and AM radios cruised Main Street after homecoming games. Engaging anecdotes and colorful characters from the author's life will transport you to a bygone era in the Missouri Ozarks of the 1950s and 60s.

Review Quotes

The Way We Were--Part 2 captures the unique magic of growing up in the Ozarks, when going to town on Saturdays meant big adventure, and high school accomplishments on the football field or basketball court retain their bragging rights for decades. Lonnie's stories combining humor, nostalgia, and poignancy have become a signature feature of the newspaper. --Amanda Mendez, Publisher, Howell County News

Feeling stressed? Take a break. Let Lonnie Whitaker be your tour guide on a nostalgic trip through a bygone era in the Ozarks. Lonnie is a consummate wordsmith, a fact gatherer, a tale spinner, a genuine Ozark philosopher. As he says, "In the end, our stories are our legacy . . . ." --Sandy Davidson, Ph.D., Professor Emerita, University of Missouri School of Journalism