Russell Banks

"In 1971, a property speculator named Harley Mann begins recording his life story onto a reel-to-reel machine. Reflecting on his childhood in the early 20th century, Harley recounts that after his father's sudden death, his family migrated down to Florida-mere miles away from what would become Disney World-to join a community of Shakers. Led by Elder John, a generous man with a mysterious past, the colony devoted itself to labor, faith, and charity,...

A companion to the PBS miniseries presents material from the great writer's literary works, diaries, and letters, and follows him from his Hannibal, Missouri childhood to his career as a journalist and author, accompanied by essays on him by contemporary scholars and authors.