A Long Row To Hoe

Clark, Billy C.

Published by Thomas Y. Crowell Company, 1960

About this Item

An x-library copy; some staining to foredge. Uncommon in first edition. Inscribed "To Hardin E. Smith, in friendship and appreciation. All good wishes Billy C. Clark". Autographed copies rarely offered. Billy C. Clark was a member of a sprawling, ragged family. His father was an intelligent, fiddle-playing shoemaker with little formal education. His mother often took in washing to help provide food for the family. Billy grew up in a derelict house, The Leaning Tower, on the banks of the Ohio. Always hungry, often dirty, and without sufficient clothing, he led an adventurous life on the two rivers, swimming, fishing, and salvaging flotsam from the frequent floods. He set trotlines for fish and trap lines for mink and muskrats, and he walked fourteen miles before school to clear his traps. He learned laughter from his magnificent mother and wisdom from his father, who taught him that poor folks have a long row to hoe. Billy was the only one of his family to seek an education, and through his traps, his river salvage, and odd jobs, he earned money to put himself through school. The book ends with a powerful account of his parents' pride at his graduation.

Seller Inventory # SKU2010029949

Bibliographic Details

• Title: A Long Row To Hoe
• Publisher: Thomas Y. Crowell Company
• Publication Date: 1960
• Language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: First Edition.
• Condition: Good
• Signed: Signed by Author
• Seller catalogs:
  • Hunting