Democrat Ridge provides an intimate view into small town life in Missouri in the 1940's. The beautifully detailed true stories give testament to the integrity, resilience, self-sufficiency and humor of the residents of Democrat Ridge. "Loaded with stories gleaned from a boyhood of experiences in the rural Ozarks, Democrat Ridge not only entertains, but teaches. Dean Wilson's stories describe events that have sufficient impact to become lifetime memories, and that have the substance to mold lifetime values. These stories cover life events from early childhood, through school days, and into the years of courtship. They paint a sharp contrast between a boy's self-invented, carefree recreation in the 1940s to today's closely supervised, more politically correct fun. One story even describes what can happen when a mischievous local girl stumbles onto a pond full of boys "skinny dippin'" and seining for catfish. Dean Wilson is truly an outstanding storyteller. His ability to combine a closeness with people to a closeness with nature is meaningfully illustrated in Democrat Ridge."--Daniel E. Hatch, PhD