This novel is more than a tale of one man's life. It's a personalized story of the 20th century, complete with all its horror and all of its promise. Tom Sanders is born at the epicenter of the world's greatest war. In Hungary, his family survives the Holocaust, the Nazi and Soviet occupations, the bombs, the genocide, and starvation. They escape to Paris, living in abject poverty as stateless refugees. The boy roams the streets, subways and slums, encountering violence and dangerous people. At eighteen, he earns the $50 fare for a one-way ticket from Rotterdam to New York, and ten days later he arrives in New York City, not knowing a single soul in the New World. Surviving life-threatening situations and homeless, he focuses his drive to receive a Fulbright scholarship and admission to one of the country's finest universities. Soon he learns what the American way of life is all about, including the generosity and courage of the American people, the sports, the parties, the hard work, and the competitive spirit. For the first time in his life, he becomes a citizen - a citizen in the most powerful country in the world. After decades of refugee status and harassment, he becomes an American. For the first time, he belongs somewhere.

As his life as a professor unfolds, Sanders sees his own experience mirrored in the history of the times, with all of its stormy, sometimes murderous, sometimes joyous explosions. While solidly settled in America, he remains a true citizen of the world. Returning to Europe frequently, friends and family tell him that America is losing its way. Concerned as well, he still can never forget what America has given him. Through perseverance and dedication, Tom prospers and grows in a country that has given him the space, the freedom, and the opportunities which enable him to keep his faith and to overcome all the challenges that 20th century history has thrown at him.