This is a first hand account about the binding human experience we all share, seen through he eyes of a natural born son that could easily be of any background, and told with a voice that articulates stories of challenges, opportunities, and achievements. Rich in experiences shared by all Americans such as family, emotions, loss, and achievements, it allows us to experience living in someone's shoes that most of us have never been able to slide into. It is a story about America, our past, our present and our future. Beginning during a quiet period in our nation's history that sets the stage for upcoming turbulence, the story envelops and takes the reader through time, and through challenges that we all collectively share. While the author is coming of age, we are drawn to understand how our country comes of age during his lifetime. We all love, and lose, and win, and we all experience life individually and as part of multiple groups. We have differences, and we have commonalities that make us who we are. We are America.