STEAMBOATS and BUTTERFLIES

by Del Witherspoon

This novel describes the life of a half-breed Indian boy growing up during the unsettled era of the middle 1800s. Due to the prejudices shown against those of mixed heritage, Dan's family left Georgia and sought refuge in the Cherokee lands around Lookout Mountain. Later, they were again forced to move west under a government directive. His father abandons the migration and brings his family back to Alabama. Dan finds himself straddling two cultures not sure of his acceptance in either. He questions his identity as a genuine American citizen, while experiencing the prejudices inherent in a cross-cultural society. He struggles to understand why national policies against the Indians contradict the white man's Biblical principles he is being taught. Upon finding answers to important spiritual questions, Dan overcomes his false pride and distrust. He settles his family along the Coosa River and becomes an ambassador for Christ. Del Witherspoon is a retired teacher with a keen interest in the history of the South during the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. He enjoys writing about the ordinary people who worked on the riverboats and lived in the small communities during the 1800s. He received a master's degree in Psychology from Auburn University. Among his publications are It's Never Too Late (coauthor), The American Farmer Battles for Survival (author), and Back to School at MY Age (coauthor and editor). His research articles have appeared in several psychological journals. The area and events described in this book reflects many of the author's personal experiences. He grew up in the mountains that were once part of the old Cherokee Nation. Del now lives with his wife, Alice Ruth in rural Central Alabama near the Coosa River, where they grow peaches, berries and goats.

500 pages, Paperback

First published March 22, 2008