Memories I Can't Let Go of

Publisher Marketing: "We walked to school. In the wintertime I remember as a very small child, when it was snowing and the wind was blowing very, very hard, Daddy would carry me so I would be facing south, and he would take the wind and carry me to school." Alma Roso Hunter What do we remember as we look back on a lifetime? When 78-year-old Alma Roso Hunter was interviewed in 2003, the memory of her father sheltering her from a cold north wind remained vivid. It's a lovely recollection, full of meaning not just for Alma Roso Hunter's family, but also for her hometown of Tontitown, Arkansas, and for anyone who recognizes the importance of preserving stories of "everyday" life. Alma Roso Hunter's life story is one of 48 oral history interviews collected as part of the Tontitown Preservation Project, founded in 2002 by a group of volunteers who wanted to assist the Tontitown Historical Museum in its efforts to document and preserve the community's Italian heritage. The folks interviewed range in age from 56 to 93; most are in their late 70s and early 80s. They relate their memories with a refreshing candor that often comes with age. Most of them are first generation Italian Americans. Their everyday lives still contain many direct ties to their Italian roots. Most of them grew up during the Great Depression. They describe the hard times that were known to most all rural Ozark families during those years. In Memories I Can't Let Go Of, the Tontitown Preservation Project interviews are presented as narrative stories, weaving together memories of grandparents and parents, home and community life, foodways, school days (with nuns as teachers), grape festivals and holiday traditions, marriage, and raising a family. Common themes emerge: a strong work ethic, the importance of family, and a genuine love for fun and fellowship. Susan Young is the outreach coordinator at the Shiloh Museum of Ozark History in Springdale, Arkansas. She is the author of So Big, This Little Place: The Founding of Tontitown, Arkansas, 1898-1917. Contributor Bio:  Young, Susan Susan Young has an extensive background in dealing with people and has a natural ability to connect with her audience and clientele. It did not take long before she realized that men loved to share their dating stories with her. She has a natural ability to listen and motivate people to see things they may not recognize in their relationships. Men wanted her to provide them with the answers to their questions about women. Having coached hundreds of men, she decided to reveal the secrets about dating that many men wished they knew. Susan has developed a system for men with step-by-step instructions to ensure dating success that will challenge the way a man thinks. Men will hear things they have never heard before: the secrets to what women are thinking. Susan's goal is to enlighten men, and her work in From Frog to Prince represents the culmination of this goal. It is her hope that men will use this as a tool toward better lives and more meaningful relationships.