The Truth of Who You Are

"The Truth of Who You Are is a beautifully written saga of a young man's coming of age and journey into adulthood, as rich and stark as the Appalachian Mountains of his childhood." -Seattle Book Review

It's the late 1920s, in the heart of the Smoky Mountains, and the Taylor family's roots run as deep as the old-growth trees on their property. But their way of life is threatened. Lumber companies want to exploit their land, and the government wants to buy it for the newly formed national park.

For Ben Taylor, the conflict takes on personal stakes as his father's bitter feud with Uncle Jimmy, a lumber baron, escalates into violence. Tragedy ensues and the Taylor's fortunes plummet. Ben becomes head of the family. The Great Depression looms and Ben takes a job with the Conservation Corps. His job is to restore the land ravaged by the lumber companies for the future national park. While working for the Corps he encounters his estranged cousin and old grudges come to the surface. When Ben causes a fatal accident, he must decide: does he let his best friend take the fall so he can keep his job and save his family? From the Great Depression to World War II, this sweeping family saga explores the human costs of progress, the price of burying the truth, and the redemptive power of confronting our darkest secrets.