The Sound of Gravel

The Sound of Gravel: A Memoir by Ruth Wariner

Ruth Wariner is her mother's fourth child and her father's thirty-ninth. Ruth was born into a polygamist colony in rural Mexico about 200 miles outside of El Paso, Texas, where her grandfather, and then father, were prophets of a religious colony that believed that the only way for a woman to ascend to Heaven was to marry and have as many children as possible.

After her father was killed by his brother in a struggle to lead the religious community, her mother soon became the second wife of another apostle of the church. Ruth's family lived in a home that was not really much more than a hut, with no electricity and no running water. Not only was her stepfather abusive, but he could not support their growing family.  Ruth's mother was forced to travel back and forth between Mexico and the United States in order to get food stamps and other government assistance so they wouldn't go hungry.

This is a compelling story of a young girl who was determined to keep her siblings safe and found the courage to break away from an abusive step-father, cross the border, and make a life in the United States for them.