When Robert Rhodes chooses to drive his newly purchased Jaguar from California to his home in Arkansas, he has no idea where the seemingly straightforward journey will take him. Through a series of flashbacks during his trip, forty-eight-year-old Robert recollects his life. His childhood had not been a pleasant, innocent experience. Aside from the poverty and disappointment his family experienced, the boy had also known personal challenges of neglect and abuse. After realizing the source of his lifelong pain, he confronts his past in a dramatic climax to the story. Not until Robert deals with his past, was he able to be emancipated from it. His new freedom allows him to find the love and success he had always sought. The Art of Straightening Nails is a family saga set from the 1960 s to present. This story of hope, conquering self, and regaining lost love should appeal to all who have struggled to reclaim their lives.