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[Junior]

The Shepherd of the Hills should be on the list...and it's success is the majority reason why tourists came to the Ozarks after it's publication. Check out the Shepherd of the Hills Website  www.oldmatt.com  and go to the history section and read it.

[okiebluegrass]

My wife has had a difficult time reading Shepherd of the Hills. I don't know that Harold Bell Wright needed to write the Ozark Hillbilly accent into the story. Makes it kinda tough for some folks to read...

[Preachin_Bill]

The accents are needed for character development.  I found that the first time I read the book it was difficult, but as you read it more it becomes easy to read and makes the story more interesting and authentic.

[okiebluegrass]

Having grown up close by it wasn't bad for me, you just have to say those words out loud in your head for them to make sense sometimes

[Gilligan]

Shepherd of the Hills without the original language would be a travesty in my opinion. Without it, the integrity of the book would be compromised. Hubs and I saw the play last Fall for the first time in years. We were both disappointed that they modernized quite a bit of the language and "Bransonized" the production. It was still very, very good!  I wish more people would attend. I worry about its future.  If you haven't seen, I urge you to give it a try - especially I ally in the Fall when it's so colorful in the "holler" and the temps are cool.

[Junior]

Here is another author to look for. Bob Hinds. He has little racks of his books in convenience stores and gift shops throughout the Ozarks. If you are interested in Ozarks material, look for his "Ozark Pioneers" about life in the 1800's and early 20th century in the West Plains/Hutton Valley area of Missouri. Also his "Ozark Laughter" and "Ozark Attractions" and "Ozark Recipes." He has other material for sale, unrelated to Ozarks life. Check out his Website, too:    www.bobhinds.com 

[KBCraig]

Hubs and I saw the play last Fall for the first time in years. We were both disappointed that they modernized quite a bit of the language and "Bransonized" the production.

I last saw the play in '99, and I was a bit disappointed then, too. I don't know if it was "Bransonized", but it wasn't nearly as good as in the '80s. I think the problem was professional actors trying too hard. The tempo was off, the dialog sounded rushed and stilted, and the accents were poured on so heavy that many of the lines were unintelligible. If I didn't have it memorized, I couldn't have followed it.

I hope to see it again this year, if my trip falls during the season. If it's not better than '99, I'll be really disappointed. It's such a great story when done right, and I never saw a bad performance in the '70s-'80s.

[okiebluegrass]

When it comes to SotH, I get a little bent outta shape when these actors that ain't from around here come to our neck o' the woods, and overplay the accents ba thunder...