Betty Tucker came of age in Belle Glade, Florida, infamous for its poverty and violence (e.g., see the Wikipedia entry and the 2006 documentary One Percent). Her childhood was one of debilitating poverty, borne of racism: exploitive migrant labor, multiple rapes and other abuse, chronic illness among her family and acquaintances ... the list is long and bitter. Betty survived not only by sheer hard work but also by nurturing a nascent belief that she deserved better. She moved to California, earned her college degree, and raised a family. Then, in 1997, she began a long and eventually...

They say circumstantial evidence is not good evidence...but it was good enough to convict an innocent man. Most of us fail to realize that the decisions we make and the circumstances that encompass our lives cause a rippling effect that molds our future. This book is about the life of Charlie Pangloss and how the wheels of circumstance were set in motion as far back as his childhood. Charlie grew up in the Mountains of Southern West Virginia. His adventures, friendships, and heartaches are well documented within these pages as well as his misfortunes and bad decisions. Life is rarely easy and...