Sullivan's Hollow lies in the heart of Smith County along the piney woods of south central Mississippi called "the baddest lands on earth" by Life Magazine. Bruce Sullivan is a direct descendant of the notorious Irish clan that once thrived there. He has lived to tell the tale of the reflections in his life that were eerily similar to his own people. With an alcoholic father moving his family around the country in a desperate effort to make ends meet, Sullivan learned at an early age that life would not be easy. Strong family bonds disrupted by episodes of violence made home life difficult and Sullivan struggled to achieve in school. Bruce Sullivan shows that his Irish grit is bigger than the ugly circumstances metered out by life. He never blames others for his difficulties, choosing rather to focus on improving circumstances through his own efforts. Up from the Ruins is a poignant portrayal of one boy's journey whose adult life is mirrored by his life as a child. The main character descends downward and spirals upward stretching the emotional elasticity of the human limits decidedly proving that there is value to human effort.