Publisher's Synopsis
Mainstream society has its share of tragedy, violence, heartbreak, and greed. And then there are the dark shadows beyond society, where criminals and the incarcerated dwell, where a hard life can be twisted into something far worse-or where a man can rediscover himself. In "A Tragedy of a Broken Heart, " author Willie Pilgrim (aka "Woody") retraces his path from the depths of his life's tragic beginnings to the mending of his heart and finding God.
The youngest of eight children, Woody was only one when his father left their family's home in rural South Carolina, never to return. A harsh winter storm arrived the next day, and Woody's large family narrowly escaped starvation. As Woody grew older, he became the target of his older siblings' aggression and had to become a survivor.
His vivid, passionate narration recalls his adolescent experiences with drugs, women, and the working life, as well as his young adulthood, where he faced the enormous challenges of raising children and keeping a family together while surrounded by the devils of depression, isolation, rage, drugs, and addiction. In the darkness of his cell and prison life, where Woody found himself after snapping from years of confusion and betrayal, Woody realized he had a choice. He could choose to go insane like those around him, or he could choose to live for the love of his children and carry forgiveness in his heart for his life's burden and pain.
