Review: From coal dust to gold dust
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 19, 2012
This is a story of grit and determination - the story of a child growing up in one of the poorest pockets of a poor state.  Rusty not only is the runt of the litter who gets picked on at school, he has an abusive father who beats him at home.  But Rusty has a sharp mind and uses it to outwit the bullies at school.  He also manages to impress a local coal mine owner who takes him under his wing and leaves him the business.  Through hard work and perseverance Rusty turns the operation into a powerful world-wide conglomeration.Mr. Dean is a great storyteller.  His descriptions and character development are excellent.  You can tell he has first-hand knowledge of the coal mining industry and has `walked the walk.'  He has an ear for the local jargon and nails the accent as only a native can.As a fellow West Virginian, I'm always on the lookout for local talent to support, and was delighted to be gifted a copy of this book, and even more thrilled to read and discover a real gem.  Well done, Mr. Dean!