"The book began with the discovery of old letters in the attic of the Burk homestead and is the result of 15 years research about Erlan's [Burk's] great-grandfather. Historical narrative from 1832 to 1926 includes life in England, Illinois, Wisconsin, Texas, Oklahoma, Utah, Nevada and Arizona. Social issues are also included, such as British inheritance courts, child labor, immigration, religious persecution, polygamy, Indian conflict, communal property, redrawing state borders by Congress, massacre of travelers by settlers, occupation of western settlements by the U.S. Army and one man's fight with a grizzly bear." [Publisher's abstract]