"An Unlikely Rising" is a telling of a family history, but it is more than that. Many character's make an appearance adding their imprimatur to a rich tapestry. I have tried to let each character present themselves honestly and unvarnished. More is left unsaid than can be said, but this is always the case. Most of us once departed, are rather quickly forgotten but in the telling of my true story, these long departed people are once again brought back to life, so to speak. The main thread is of a boy, my personal story on a journey with blemishes and faults rising to become a doctor from a lineage of dysfunctional simple, poor white people. This narrative spans a period from about 1880 to 2024.