Bridges to the Past

About the Book

Bridges to the Past is an anthology of short stories involving Appalachian Mountain humor and serious events that profoundly affected the life of a boy and influenced him prodigiously as an adult.

Chapter I, "The Whimper Carter Tales" portrays, in a vivid manner, the art of storytelling. It brings the reader vis-a-vis with Winfrey "Whimper" Carter who epitomized Appalachian storytelling and imagination. Imagine a preacher re-learning profanity because a lawnmower will not start. Alternatively, a teenager thinking a snake bites him when he was actually shot. Humor is to life what blood is to the heart, and Chapter I contains a huge dose of humor. In addition, it's interspersed with historical facts which provide interesting reading.

Chapter II, "A Lad's Heroes" is a poignant true story of a small boy who develops a her worship for two older cousins who served with Airborne units in World War II. This hero worship leads the lad into the United States Army and the Airborne. He, too, becomes a paratrooper as a memorial to his relatives, one who was killed in action at the Battle of the Bulge. It is a story that any combat veteran or those interested in military history will enjoy.

Chapter III, "A Towheaded Boy and a Fifty-Dollar Rooster" is an equally emotional story that contains some levity. This chapter describes the love and devotion that can develop between a boy and his pets. it further denotes how experiences in childhood may affect a person for life.

Chapter IV, "The Day of the Sermon" is a fictional account of a historical episode that shows the suffering of slaves in the ante-bellum South without being academic. It also deals with a devout preacher having the courage to challenge the slave holders in his congregation to determine a way to free those in bondage. Chapter IV invites people to examine the memories of slavery and its effect on this nation.

Chapter V, "The Taking of a Deer" is a serious historical fiction account based on a true story of an underdog who was defended in court, gratis, by a wealthy and influential lawyer who once served as a Governor of Tennessee. It demonstrates that the laws of God and commons sense can prevail over laws and justice can be served to the underprivileged.

Chapter VI, "The Uncle Cad Tales" depicts humans as they actually exist. This entire chapter consists of humorous tales spoken by a real character who has never received any attention other than through those who have known him.

Overall, Bridges is a book that will be enjoyable to people of both sexes and all ages. Everyone, regardless of social status, will find something in Bridges that is fulfilling. It is down-to-earth and involves people who are not rich or famous, but who are very entertaining.

About the Author

Kenneth E. Huffman was born during a fierce snowstorm on January 11, 1938. He was the son of a poor sharecropper, and the birth took place in the former overseer's home at Tyre Glenn's ante-bellum plantation of Glennwood in Yadkin County, North Carolina. Kenneth was only a few months old when the family moved to Mount Carmel, Tennessee. His first memories of life occurred in this small settlement, and that is the reason for his fondness of East Tennessee.

At the age of eleven years, the Huffmans moved to Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Kenneth grew to manhood there, and he enlisted in the Army ten days after his nineteenth birthday. This led to him achieving a boyhood dream of becoming a paratrooper like two of his older cousins - his boyhood heroes. Kenneth is one of the original Green Berets and saw combat in Vietnam with the 5th Special forces Group, Airborne.

After discharge, Kenneth worked in the residential construction field until his health failed. Seeking a sedentary job, Kenneth investigated several vocations and then decided to enter the writing field. After serving as a contributing editor for a local newspaper, Kenneth decided to write his first book Bridges to the Past. In addition to writing, he is a self-taught artist and has one award in art. The art award was for the "Doe River Bridge," a historical bridge in Elizabethton, Tennessee, and it is the design for the cover of this book. As a child, Kenneth played on this bridge while visiting relatives.

Clara and Kenneth live in Surry County, North Carolina, and they have three children, six grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

Because of the lack of formal education, there are no degrees after Kenneth's name. He explains this by simply saying, "Any talent I have is a gift from the Supreme Being of the Universe. Degrees do not matter to me."