Uncle Mike was born in the Missouri Ozarks in 1924.  He lived in the woods and was basically a hermit.  His life was meager and he barely managed to get by.  He was a very intelligent man and spent his life studying the flora and fauna of the Ozark woods and conducted scientific experiments.  Everyone assumed he would one day die in the woods that he had loved those many years.

On a warm summer morning in July of 1978, at 54 years of age, Uncle Mike rode his old mule, Jessie, into town and said, “Ah’m heading to Kansas City.  Ah’m gonna be a rich man!”  That morning Uncle Mike got on the bus, carrying an age worn leather satchel.

He came into my offices that afternoon  and handed me the satchel.  “This’ll be all you’ll need,” he said with a wink in his eye.  And indeed, it was.

This book is the culmination of Uncle Mike’s life’s work.  Today, Uncle Mike is living in Malibu and owns his own publishing company.  He drives his Mercedes to work every morning and dines at his own restaurant in Los Angeles.

The last time I spoke with him he said to keep publishing the book and keep sending the money.  So here it is in its entirety.  We hope you will enjoy it and hope you will buy extra copies for your friends so that Uncle Mike doesn’t have to give up his lifestyle to which he has become accustomed.