River Rising: A Cherokee Odyssey Hardcover - 1998

From the publisher

River Rising holds a mirror up to the soul of a nation, forcing us to look at the dark truth of our past. Told in a beautifully descriptive and visual style, this gripping epic chronicles the fate of William Drummond and his family on an incredible odyssey during the forced removal of the Cherokees from their beloved homeland in 1838-39. Layer by layer River Rising peels back the superficial fabrications that Americans have been spoon fed from our youth about this country's history and its so-called heroes. It is, of course, impractical at this stage to restore a continent to its original inhabitants -- or to their descendants. It is impossible to resurrect the victims of a genocide perpetrated in the name of civilization -- indeed, in the very name of God. But we can confront the skeletons in our national closet and examine them honestly, for only by embracing these truths can a collective healing and forgiveness begin to take place.Woven throughout this unforgettable tale of tragedy and tribulation you will discover the humor and the passion, the love and the hatred, the strengths and weaknesses of a noble people. River Rising will penetrate to the core of your being if there is a shred of humanity within you.From the remarkable transformation of the self-absorbed, anti-Indian debutante, Susanna Drummond, who ultimately becomes 'U-ni-tsi Wa-ya' (mother wolf), to the amazing courage of her brother, Michael, forced to execute his best friend -- and the brother of the woman he loves...you will be drawn into a riveting story that will stay with you through the years.