This book is the autobiography of the author. It began, however, as a biography of the author’s mother who allowed Vicky to write about American society in the mid-to-late twentieth century; experiences of Slavic, French, and East Indian immigrants at the United States around the turn of the twentieth century; child and spouse abuse perpetrated by women as well as men and the effects of intergenerational abuse; and murder and suicide.

The author hopes to educate people about the American poor in the twentieth century and to broaden people’s perspective on American life. Not all Americans had the benefits of understanding mainstream American culture and society as well as knowing the language of the nation and having a supportive family. Perhaps this book could help us all understand present-day immigrants as well.