"I hope my story will do nothing if not inspire. If I can overcome the hurdles of poverty, abuse, and racism, then so can anyone. If life throws you a lemon, turn it into lemonade. Now is the time to follow your inner voice over the din of a world bombarded with the sounds of discouragement and pessimism. In our nation we spend foolish amounts of time trying to separate under the guise of skin color or race. But if you look at the last four letters in the designations African American, Puerto Rican American, Mexican American, or white American, you will notice the words I can. The individual can place this phrase into an assertive context: I can overcome the most formidable of barriers to achieve success. The individual is essential to a wider humanity, and lives nurtured in faith and determination can prove indomitable against astronomical odds. As I always say, Life is hard by the yard, but it's a cinch by the inch."
-from THE ROAD SOUTH

A true story in the tradition of A Child Called It and Angela's Ashes, this is one man's remarkable struggle to survive poverty and the most horrifying abuse to forge unheard-of success — and the strength to heal his life.

THE ROAD SOUTH

From the start, young Shelley Stewart knew only hard times and worse breaks. When he was five, he saw his alcoholic father murder his mother with an ax. His stepmother fed him and his siblings fried rat for Sunday dinners, and his attempts to escape led him to a viciously abusive aunt who swore black boys needed to be "broken in" like mules. Even an attempt to gain respect and justice through military service resulted in electroshock treatments and a medical discharge. Up against a dysfunctionally cruel family and the strictly segregated Alabama of the 1940s, Shelley's only refuge was education and talent for communicating. He became determined to make a better life for himself — to prove he was a person of value and dignity...

As rhythm and blues swept across America, Shelley found his moment. One of the first African American radio personalities, he discovered hot new talents while scorching the airwaves with incendiary social commentary — and information vital to Martin Luther King Jr. and the rising civil rights movement. He helped launch the careers of now — legendary artists Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, and Gladys Knight even as he faced depression and a growing dependence on alcohol. And he eventually parlayed savvy and experience into radio-station ownership and a $40-million company. But he would have to battle to help his troubled siblings deal with their past. And he would at last have to come to terms with his own personal demons to secure life's true success.

Inspiring and moving, THE ROAD SOUTH is about one man's perseverance in the face of brutal obstacles — and an unforgettable tribute to the healing bonds of friendship, tolerance, and love.