Author Andrew Ross spins a poignant and magical tale with The Sweet and Bitter Taste of Moonshine, his rich and multilayered novel of the American South that has humanity's classic, most-often-asked existential questions at its core. Ross paints a deftly rendered portrait of this beautiful and deeply historied landscape with this utterly palpable backdrop as the novel's setting. Ambrose Wells, a young man with virtually no loved ones, has a dead-end job he despises assessing property for tax purposes for the state. He is given the assignment to travel to Wellspring Island, a mysterious piece of land owned by Mr. Peyton Grimball-the enigmatic local hermit-in the middle of St. Helena Sound. Ambrose reluctantly drives to his childhood home, Edisto Island, a place he has often avoided in adulthood due to its inherently painful reminders of his past. While there, Ambrose meets a cast of remarkably fascinating characters who serve to help him connect the dots that could shed light on the murky details of his past-both his childhood and family history. During his time spent on Edisto, Ambrose is put to the test, and he is forced to make a decision: return to his sad but comfortable existence, or drink from the proverbial fountain of youth? His choice could lead him to the discovery of a life filled with new meaning-a life where, for the first time, Ambrose is able to experience true joy.