Tinkertown is the story of how a new› town and Air Force base grow from the Oklahoma wheat fields as World War II begins. But this is also the story of what the author learned from his experiences growing up here in the early years. Even a large herd of ponies become part of those experiences. The town is Midwest City, the air base is Tinker, and the ponies are from the far-away Shetland Islands. The ups and downs of how a town and an air base co-exist and help each other survive, grow, and prosper is a story that can resonate with anyone who has lived near a military installation. When a town's economy is anchored in this base, and when the people share the traditional values of that government facility, it makes the hazards of airplane crashes, repeated sonic boom tests, and being a prime target in a nuclear war worth the risk. Ultimately, this is a story that addresses the question , "How much of who I am, is where I'm from?" Jim Willis is a veteran journalist and author of 18 books who holds the Ph.D. in Journalism from the University of Missouri and is Professor Emeritus at California's Azusa Pacific University and former chair of the Department of Communication Studies at Boston College. The author grew up in Midwest City Oklahoma, graduated from Midwest City High School, and the University of Oklahoma.