C.L. Willis’s Hillbilly Odyssey: Resilience in a Small Mountain Mill Town is a memoir that refutes the Appalachian stereotyping embedded in J.D. Vance’s Hillbilly Elegy and instead offers a realistic and authentic portrayal of the hard-working Appalachian family struggling to succeed in a time of limited opportunities and low wages. The author’s family life from youth and beyond is more typical of the self-reliant, resilient families of the Appalachian region. His yearning to flee from hardships and the rigorous determination his family endured come full circle with his passion and love for his mountain home restored and entirely on display through this warm-hearted volume.

—Les M. Brown, author of Iron Bridge Sunday and Other Stories

About the Author

C. L. Willis, a native of Canton, North Carolina, is professor emeritus of sociology and criminology at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. This is his first book. His previous publications were scholarly articles in social science journals.After retiring from the University of North Carolina Wilmington, he moved back to his beloved mountains.He lives with his daughter, son-in-law, and two grandchildren in Alexander County, NC.