Against the Tide traces, in Keyserling's own words, her journey into the world of "good ol' boy" Southern politics and her labors to reform the political system in South Carolina. It is the story of a woman who arrived a Yankee liberal and became an effective eight-term legislator in the South Carolina House of Representatives. She served for sixteen years then retired in 1992, when the rancor and partisanship of the legislature became intolerable for her.