Home by Samm-Art Williams

Optimistic and strong, young Cephus Miles is content to work the land on the small North Carolina farm he inherited from his family. All seems right—until his childhood sweetheart rejects him and goes off to college. Opposed to the war in Vietnam, Cephus refuses to serve and is imprisoned as a draft evader. By the time he is released, Cephus has lost his land to the tax collector, so he heads north to build a new life. With a good job and a slinky new girlfriend, he finds the big city exciting and rewarding. But soon the dream begins to fade—he loses his job and becomes involved in drugs and prostitution. Pulling himself together, Cephus returns to South Carolina and settles back on the land with his old sweetheart. Despite all, he has never lost his joyous goodwill, his indomitable spirit and the conviction that one day his quest for fulfillment will be rewarded.