A farm boy fleeing hardship during the Great Depression finds adventure, love, war, and ultimately himself in a journey that spans the American century.

Across the Grain of Time begins not with kings or generals, but with two Prussian boys who stepped off a ship in America carrying little more than determination, impossible surnames, and a dream of land of their own. From the forests and prairies of nineteenth-century Indiana grew generations of farmers, wanderers, soldiers, dreamers, and storytellers whose lives mirrored the growth of a young nation.

At the heart of this remarkable family saga is Joe Rietman, a boy who endured hardship, poverty, and an often-brutal home life before finding refuge on neighboring farms during the Great Depression. Possessed of an adventurous spirit and stubborn resilience, Joe's journey carries him from Indiana farm fields to the mountains of Oregon, from Army service in World War II to postwar life in the American West.

Along the way, readers encounter colorful characters, immigrant traditions, hunting camps, frontier humor, wartime experiences, and the enduring bonds of family. Rich with true stories, historical detail, and moments that are by turns heartbreaking, inspiring, and laugh-out-loud funny, this is the story of ordinary people who faced extraordinary challenges and kept moving forward.

Spanning nearly two centuries, Across the Grain of Time is more than a family history. It is a celebration of perseverance, faith, humor, and the restless desire to seek a better horizon just beyond the next ridge.

About the Author

John Rietman is a retired geologist, surveyor, and lifelong storyteller whose career carried him from the mountains of the American West to remote corners of the world. Drawing on decades of family research, personal recollections, historical records, and oral histories, he brings the past to life through engaging narratives that blend history, humor, and human experience. He lives in Missoula, Montana with his wife, Naty.

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