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The Ozarks: Land and Life. Second edition. By Milton D. Rafferty. (Fayetteville: University of Arkansas Press, 2001. Pp. xvi, 368. Illustrations, maps, notes, bibliography, index. $34.95, paper.)
Sitting down with Milton Rafferty's The Ozarks: Land and Life is a little like visiting with an old friend after a few years' absence. It takes almost no time for the original admiration to return, and there are enough changes and new experiences to make a long visit worthwhile and enjoyable.
Anyone who has delved into the field of Ozark studies (or anyone who has simply perused the shelves for informative reading on the region) during the past two decades already understands the impact and importance of Rafferty's work. Originally published in 1980 by the University of Oklahoma Press, The Ozarks: Land and Life was the first work to treat the geography, history, culture, and society of the region in a comprehensive manner. As such, it has served as an invaluable resource to countless students, scholars, and interested readers. Fortunately for those of us with an...