Hackford Holland's tumultuous early career as a reluctant Congressional candidate, and the conflicts he faces as he confronts the pain of his Army past, his family legacy, a cause worth fighting for (Mexican farm laborers and the injustice they face) and a passle of vivid and unsavory big-money backers, including his cool sleek wife. Oh, and then there's the self-destructive drinking and womanizing. This novel was published in the 80s but seems to have been brought back to life by a delayed sequel by Burke, who follows Hack as a principled small-town sheriff decades later. I have to say, bar none, Will Patton is the BEST audiobook reader ever. He is a perfect match for the Texas drawl of Burke's characters here, but I've heard Patton read other writers. He's just damn good.