Book excerpt: The Hollyhocks Trail tells the poignant story of two children uprooted during the removal of Cherokees from their ancestral homelands in the Southeast. Despite their efforts to assimilate white culture -- adopting a constitution based on that of the United States, learning English while inventing their own syllabary, and developing an agriculture-based economy -- in the end all that mattered was the governments determination to confiscate Cherokee lands. Josh and Nelley grew up together in what now is northern Georgia, sharing a bond solidified by their love of nature and their common foe of racial intolerance. Separated during the removal of 1838, the book traces their tragic experiences on the Trail of Tears and their disjoined lives up to the end of the Civil War. Embittered by the white mans greed and betrayals among the Cherokee, and ultimately disowned by his family, Josh seeks out the only friend he may have left -- a friend he has not seen in 27 years. In doing so, he discovers she is more than just a friend. Based on the true story of a part-Indian girl born into slavery, Stapleton weaves a tale of human drama against the backdrop of historical events many Americans would like to forget. You will gain historical insights in reading The Hollyhocks Trail. You will be saddened and indignant at mans capacity for evil. But you will also be moved by a gripping story of redemption and reconciliation.