The Mountaintop is an historical saga, beginning with Sarah, the author's grandmother, who was left an orphan on a Midwest prairie after an Indian raid on their wagon train during the great westward migration. A true story of personal loss, struggle and *, both Sarah and the author endured great hardships in their lives. Sarah was an inspiration and positive influence in her life. The author lost her faer at an early age, and was left with a mentally ill and abusive mother. An even more abusive marriage caused a serious crisis in her life, which led to a profound transformation in her thinking. This change guided her through an extraordinarily difficult path toward breaking * from her turbulent and abusive marriage. In this way, she was able to save herself and her children from the ongoing trauma of their lives in order for them to prosper again and to be creative and productive individuals.