This moving story of a girl's quest for independence begins in a "shtetl" in Russia. After a tragedy, Minna Ruben and her family decide to flee to "der goldener medina"-the golden land-America-to seek safety, freedom, and success. Minna dreams of becoming a "real American" but the Rubens face many difficulties in their quest to succeed.
Eventually, they are forced to work at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. Minna, facing disapproval from a member of her family and trapped by her job, fears she will never realize her dreams. At her darkest moment, she finds employment as a seamstress at a Fifth Avenue mansion. There she learns that wealth does not automatically solve every problem and bravely steps towards the future she has chosen.
This book offers an excellent description of the Lower East Side of Manhattan in the early twentieth century, home to many immigrants who came to the new world. The vitality and panoply of characters and customs found on those crowded streets are lovingly depicted by the author.