Linda Hardister Rodriguez

Up from the River: a Novel Based on a True Story Linda Hardister Rodriguez

Imagine. You are a small town southern factory worker--disabled on the job--and you believe what your boss, your surgeon, and the government bureaucracy tell you. Everything will be fine. All you have to do is wait. You will return to your middle class life. Imagine people lying to you. As Matt Bradfurd is swept into poverty, he struggles with the belief that a man should make it on his own. When his wife and daughter are hungry and in danger of losing their home, he overcomes his pride and calls out to three community leaders. Their response creates a story of greed and sexual betrayal. It also makes us wonder what's important in life.