Wrestle The Mountain

Even at eleven, Jed knew he didn\u2019t want to work in the coal mines like his father and the four generations before him. The mines provided a meager subsistence for the families of Tin Creek, West Virginia, but they also crippled and took lives. Jed dreamed of being a wood carver—and he had the talent for it. He hoped his pa would understand, but sometimes he felt that talking with \u0022Big Tate\u0022 was like yelling at the mountain. \u0022You\u2019re the only son I got,\u0022 Jed\u2019s father told him. \u0022If it ain\u2019t to be the mines, it\u2019s got to be somethin\u2019 awful good.\u0022With the encouragement of his teacher and the help of his aunt, Jed sets out to find his own path. A path that might lead to steady, safe work under the open sky—and to peace with his father.