Non fiction: The story of daring, sacrifice and perseverance of Joseph's family c1775 and succeeding generations, which could equally apply to the forebears of numerous North American families who trace their roots to the hardy sea-dogs of the English shires of Dorset, Devon, Bristol, Cornwall and Somerset. Over a century before the Mayflower sailed, they risked annual crossings of the unforgiving North Atlantic in pursuit of the summer fishery. Future generations opted to emigrate with their families in tiny wooden ships most of us would not trust out of sight of land on a calm summer day. Broad prairies of hull-crushing ice, wind driven snow, sleet and freezing rain forced every able-bodied man and woman on deck and into the rigging, to chip away at the destabilizing ice buildup threatening to shift the ships center of gravity and send them to the bottom. Caught without warning by the fury of a hurricane; many ships, their crews and passengers simply disappeared. In the eras of the on-again off-again French/English wars and the American revolution, privateers were a serious man-made threat. At the other end of the spectrum; the risk of running out of provisions while becalmed on a placid peaceful sea. A compilation of the indomitable spirit, ingenuity and resilience of our pioneering ancestors, in the face of unimaginable hardships. Most did not leave a heavy footprint on this earth. For successive generations they lived, loved, struggled and died with the full realization that their lives, at best, were only marginally better than their parents. Yet, like all of us, they endured resolute in the belief that for their children life would be better. A proud heritage to build on. BIO: Frank Rideout, a direct descendant of Joseph, grew up in 6 very unique, somewhat isolated, communities along the torturous coast and in the interior of the little North American country of Newfoundland; the heartland of "down home country". A small, fabled, island land where for generations time stood still. Having witnessed first hand the indomitable spirit, ingenuity and resilience of these hardworking, fun-loving proud people, he feels uniquely qualified to tell their story. As he put it, “I was very fortunate to have lived in those times and places. I am forever grateful to have had the good fortune of growing up in the company of such people.”