The Man from Booger Hollow

From one of Alaska’s most engaging storytellers, Gary Bryan Jones, comes an inspiring new novel about courage, hope, and self-discovery. The Man from Booger Hollow follows Jeremiah Chittleborough, a boy from the Ozarks who dreams of a better life and sets out on a daring journey north to Alaska. With nothing but determination and a hitchhiker’s spirit, Jeremiah’s adventure becomes a story of survival, redemption, and finding one’s place in the world.

As Jeremiah navigates life’s twists and turns, he faces both thrilling adventures and the personal battles that test his heart and resolve. Blending humor, hardship, and humanity, Jones delivers a story that resonates with readers of all ages. Many of Jeremiah’s experiences are loosely inspired by real events, giving this tale a touch of authenticity that deepens its emotional impact.

As a little boy growing up in the tiny village of Booger Hollow, Arkansas, Jeremiah felt the sting of abandonment and difference—he never knew his father, looked nothing like his much older siblings, and was born into deep poverty. From an early age, he learned that food, clothing, and transportation were often scarce. He never spent a single day in school.

One day, Jeremiah survived a vicious dog attack that left him badly scarred. Not long afterward, alone outside the cabin and weighed down by pain and loneliness, he devised what he called “the solution.” Just then, a stranger appeared—and Jeremiah’s life changed course. At 17, with no education and little understanding of the world, he left home to chase the classic American dream: hitchhiking to Alaska to strike it rich in the gold mines. But the most unimaginable part wasn’t the journey—it was what he brought with him: a gifted live mule, a trumpet, a nearly empty duffel bag, no money, and an oversized share of grit and determination.

When he finally arrives in Alaska, Jeremiah does strike gold—but not in the way he expected. He becomes a wealthy man, only to realize that fortune alone doesn’t bring happiness. In time, he gives it all away—and ultimately uncovers the identity of the mysterious stranger from his youth, along with the stranger’s purpose. ****************************

THE MAN FROM BOOGER HOLLOW

“As I expected when I started reading, it was going to be a book hard to put down once I started. It was an inspirational read. If I were an educator or a Sunday school teacher, I would make it a mandatory read for my students.”