UP FROM THE RUINS   (SYNOPSIS)

     Up from the Ruins is the true and inspiring story of a family caught in the crossfire of an alcoholic father with a fiery temper and a love for alcohol who keeps the family on edge with a rootless life of transient living conditions. It is about courage, hope, faith, and the American dream. Faced with the head wind of damnation dealt out by all of the experts and predicted failure, Bruce hears only the beating of his own heart and marches to the beat of his drum. Academically, Bruce struggles in school. The family violence keeps him on edge. He has difficulty sustaining concentration in the class room and cannot complete homework assignments. This leads to the failure of many grades, requiring him to attend summer school. However, his dogs are his heroes and they save the family’s life and become his refuge and source of comfort in the midst of a family that churns with violence.

      Ultimately, Bruce does what many believe to be the impossible. He reaches the pinnacle of success when he earns a Master of Science degree in counseling and becomes a Licensed Professional Counselor. He identifies with the down trodden and the poor and uses his tumultuous life experiences to help heal the broken hearted. Up from the Ruins is a poignant portrayal of one boy’s journey whose adult life is mirrored by his life as a child. The main character descends downward and spirals upward stretching the emotional elasticity of the human limits, decidedly proving, that there is value to human effort. The reader should be prepared to take a downward descent into the deafened echoes of American life.