A journey of a child born into a world of turmoil and violence who must assume adult responsibilities, deprived of his youth and innocence in the midst of a political battle for control of the village that is his homehiding in cellars and moving from place to place, eventually forcing the family to abandon the village in order to survive. He travels and escapes to cities where he receives his first formal education, struggles with illiteracy, learns the turbulent history of his country and that the political forces that destroy the village are also ravishing the entire nation. Seeking peace, solace, and opportunities for a better future, the family emigrates to the United States.
