Stephanie Sydoriak has captured bits of history that often go unrecorded, thus enriching the picture we have not only of the immigrant experience, but also of how life in American cities changed because of the immigrants. Her approach is original - by giving her parents a chance to tell their story she is able to present a highly nuanced picture of the acculturation of the immigrant communities. She does it with grace and wit and the book reads very well. But the author provides such telling detail that I will use this book as an introduction to the study of the immigrant experience in the United States. Dr. Martha Bohachevsky-Chomiak, Historian, Author