Sam and Rachel each separately describe their childhood before the war, then join voices to tell about life after liberation in intertwined voices. Sam grew up in Turszysk, Poland (today Turijsk, Ukraine), and witnessed the massacre of his fellow Jews. Rachel narrates how her parents met, being the only girl in the Cheder, and her tendency to dream about the future. Each narrator tells of life in the ghetto, on the run and in hiding. Life in the DP camp, early family life, struggles to make a life in the USA and success in business after a very rough start are all described in alternating voices.