New York, 1909. A young mother and her young son arrive from Italy by ocean liner to fulfill their dream of a better life in America. However, their hopes soon suffer a big crack, because in an impoverished ghetto in a New York neighborhood, where they find themselves together with other immigrants from all over the world, the rules are determined by brutal gangsters and their henchmen. If one wants to survive here, one must not change the established rules. Unless he has charisma and an incredible gift of imagination.
The novel, which introduces us to the environment of the nascent film industry, radio, Broadway, advertising, skyscrapers and luxury cars, tells of great love and the tenacity of a dream that triumphs over harsh reality.