This story starts in October 1949, Frank arrives in America. Frank has returned to New York, in search of the "American Dream." This self-conscious 19-year-old, with his "oily face, red eyes, and bad teeth," has plans to become a writer or teacher of some sort and make a decent living in New York. He starts out as a Hotel boy but that doesn't work out due to his bad eyes. He joins the army and trains …showed first 75 words of 521 total…

…showed last 75 words of 521 total…gets drunk on his wedding day, and even on the day his daughter was born. Some consolation is found in the fact that he does manage to complete college and get a teaching job. You get the impression that his intentions are good, but intentions don't count for much. I felt compassion for him when he suffered due to his father's alcoholism, but I just couldn't feel that much sympathy for him in this book.