The author of Roots, Alex Haley wrote Roots because he was looking for clarity. As a boy he listened to the stories his grandmother told him about their ancestors. Haley was intrigued by the first generations of his family. Haley decided he would go as far back as possible to find more information about his ancestors. After 12 years of travel and research he finally gathered all the information he needed and decided to write a book about his family's saga. He titled the book Roots. His long-awaited book was published in 1976. This book is based on a true story. Kunta Kinte was born in the early spring of 1750, the eldest son of Omoro and Binta Kinte. Kunta was named after his grandfather Kairaba Kunta Kinte, who was a highly respected elder in the village of Juffure in Gambia, Africa. Kunta was born into the Mandinka tribe who are staunch Muslims. As a child, Kunta faced many challenges, including hunger and disease. When Kunta was in his second kafo (African for life stages), he participated in manhood training, where he learned to hunt, fight, and most importantly, avoid the Toubob (African name for white slave catchers). After Kunta successfully completed adulthood training at the age of 15, he left his parents' hut and built his own hut. While in his hut, he became bored and lonely, so he turned to playing the drum. One day, Kunta went to look for wood to make a new drum, when he heard a twig snap. When Kunta turned around he was the Toubob and a slatee (African name for an African who betrays his country and helps white settlers capture Africans to enslave them). Kunta put up an incredible fight, he clawed, bit and scratched the Toubob but he was hit in the middle... in the middle of the card... straight on. George learned quickly and became one of the best chicken trainers in North Carolina. He was nicknamed Chicken George. Chicken George married a young slave from another plantation, Matilda. Chicken George had a son named Tom Murray, who was his firstborn. Overall Chicken George and Matilda had eight children; Tom, Virgil, Ashford, George Jr., James, Louis, Kizzy and Mary. Virgil married Lily Su with whom they had a daughter, Uriah. Tom married a woman named Irene, they had seven children; Maria, Ellen, Wini, Matilda, Elizabeth, Tom Jr. and Cynthia. Cynthia married a man named Will Palmer. They had one daughter, Bertha George Palmer. Bertha married Simon Alexander Haley who had previously been married to Zeona Hatcher with whom they had one child, Lois Haley. Bertha and Simon had George Haley, Julius Haley, and Alex Haley, the author of Roots.