Boy of battle ford and the man, paperback/w. s. blackman

Covers the authors years growing up in early post-settlement Illinois, where he gave in to temptations such as drinking, gambling, and the lure of prostitutes before joining the army, finding God and becoming a preacher.

Blackman peppers his story with the sordid details of the sinful times of his life as well as with discussions of faith and of struggling to understand his God.