Chapter 1 Summary and Analysis

Chapter 1: Finish the Game opens with an allusion to Abraham Lincoln and how Kentucky is known for its independent spirit. Dakota Meyer is from the tiny town of Columbia, KY. As a child, his mother carted him around the state, allowing him to stay with Mike Meyers, his adoptive father, on a farm every summer where he also spent time with Mike's father, Dwight, a former Marine. As a kid, Dakota was allowed to drive the ATV because he started it, and when he was eight, Mike took him hunting, getting him accustomed to what he would encounter on the battlefield. In grammar school, Dakota's mom decided it would be best for him to live with Mike full-time, and this is when Dakota's life changed for the better. At age 11, Dad encouraged Dakota to enter a public speaking contest, and winning...