The people of Northeastern Kentucky remember the late John G. Martin as a wonderful veterinarian, but he was an author, too, and I am pleased to report that the Jesse Stuart Foundation has added three of his books to our inventory of regional titles.

"Doc" Martin led an interesting life. At the beginning of World War II, he left his engineering studies at Virginia Polytechnic Institute to enlist in the Army Air Corps. After years of flying "the hump" into China, Martin returned home, married his high school sweetheart and enrolled in the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Eventually the family settled in Ashland and Martin became one of Kentucky’s best-known and best loved veterinarians. He retired in the 1980s and passed away in June 1999. His widow Mary Helen and his daughter Terri are still living in Ashland today and are frequent visitors to the Jesse Stuart Foundation Bookstore.

Our stock of Martin’s books includes:

• "Never a Ho-Hum Day," an autobiographical book
• "Doc, My Tiger’s Got An Itch," another autobiographical work that focuses on Martin’s adventures as a circus veterinarian. Martin traveled with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, among many shows, and became a pioneer of exotic animal medicine.
• "Through Hell’s Gate To Shanghai" details Martin’s military experiences by telling the story of the Tenth Combat Cargo Squadron

Martin’s books are among the thousands of titles available at the Jesse Stuart Foundation Bookstore, 1645 Winchester Avenue in downtown Ashland. For more information, call (606) 326-1667.

Four years ago, when we purchased our building, someone asked me how we could afford to make the down payment. My immediate response was: "We work hard and we save our money." And I wasn’t being flippant! Our success is simple. We produce quality books that attract a national readership, and we are cautious in our spending.

I am proud of what we have accomplished and I think our contributions to the Ashland area are significant. Since I moved here in 1985, the Jesse Stuart Foundation has played a major role in the intellectual life of the community, and we have contributed to the economy in many ways, too. We have spent more than two million dollars in this area, including the purchase, repair, and upgrade of our building.

We are committed to publishing excellence and community service. Much of our professional pleasure comes from working with visitors and customers. When you come to visit, I encourage you not to come empty handed. Bring a book that you’ve read and would like to donate, or bring one of the small boxes that protect books when they are shipped. Truly, one person’s trash is another person’s treasure. You probably wouldn’t re-use that small box, but we will. That’s how we succeed. We work hard and we save our money. Pennies make dollars.

Allan Eckert is a good friend to me and to the Jesse Stuart Foundation, so I am sad to report that he is still in bad health and will be unable to be here at the end of the month. Originally he had planned to sign at the JSF on Friday, April 30th and participate in the Ohio River Festival of Books the following day. He asked me to tell his friends in the tri-state area that he hopes to return to Ashland for a signing this fall.