by Cris Trautner on May 12, 2017
Jim Cossaart's touching memoir is filled with stories (true stories) from his years as a windmill repairman, blacksmith's apprentice, tractor salesman, rancher, and farmer in and near Mahaska, Kansas.
Mahaska is just across the Nebraska state line, and Jim and his family have spent enough time in Nebraska that we feel comfortable including his book on Nebraska Book Source—in addition, the book was published by Nebraska publisher Infusionmedia of Lincoln.
Jim's stories are beautifully written with humor balanced by the tragedy of situations and behavior. His writing explores the good and the bad of human nature, small towns, and family farms. Not to give away the ending, but Jim ends up as a dentist—first in Nebraska, then in Vermont. You'll have to read the book, A Piece of Kansas Soil, to find out how.
Update 5/12/17: Dennis Jones has just published Parables from the Prairie: How an Admiral Was Trained on Dry Land. Leslie Cossaart, Jim's great-uncle, was Dennis's grandfather.