Prairie Sons

Two generations navigate the pull of family, the weight of ambition, and the cost of success.

Timothy Wagner is driven to succeed by the high expectations of a long line of Wagner farmers. His achievements as an economics professor earn him a prestigious position as an undersecretary in the federal government. But his long hours estrange him from his wife and teenage son, and political scandal threatens to derail all he has worked for.

Nearly a century earlier, Timothy’s grandfather Aaron inherits the original Wagner farmstead. He and his wife raise a family guided by their Christian faith, and he pursues his dream of combining farming with teaching. But his father objects to his teaching, and he is forced to give up the farm during an economic downturn and live as a tenant on rental farms.

Told in alternating chapters, their stories examine how the drive to succeed and the challenges of a demanding culture affect families across multiple generations. Prairie Sons explores the complicated relationships of work, identity, and self-worth while celebrating the enduring value of family.