The Thread That Runs So True: A Mountain School Teacher Tells His Story is a nonfiction book by Jesse Stuart, a teacher who taught in the mountain region of Kentucky during the mid-twentieth-century. The book was first published in 1949 and has received critical acclaim since its publication.

The most prominent theme of Stuart's memoir is the power of education. As a young teacher and, later on, a school administrator, Stuart had a firsthand experience on the modern development of the American education system. Stuart's career in education spanned over 20 years, and he experienced what it was like to teach in an impoverished, undeveloped part of the country during a time of economic depression and war.

There is also a more personal theme to the memoir: perseverance. Stuart faced many challenges, not only systemic-wise with the lack of funding from education department, but also among his students, staff members and students' parents. This taught Stuart to be patient and continue his work in education. The lamentations he expressed in the book is relatable to teachers worldwide, even to this day.