From a heavy-metal club in Long Island, New York, to a backyard bonfire in Los Angeles, California, Lawrence M. Eisenstein, MD, follows the disparate paths of the ten Traum siblings over the decades.

His saga starts in 1931 with the rebellion of Jack Traum. The young man sneaks into the family home in Brooklyn, New York, to visit his pregnant mother. When his father, Albert, catches him, he savagely beats him. It is the first glimpse of the shocking abuse the Traum siblings suffered while living in Albert's house.

The story follows the Traums as they plot their escape from Albert and cope with the mental scars of his bursts of violence and rage. Artie, the eldest brother, runs away to California. Other siblings are adopted or placed in orphanages. Still others find their own ways of escaping Albert. Rosie Traum becomes a prostitute to support herself. Edie, a dwarf, sets off to find happiness free of judgment and prejudice. Tillie vows to become the first Traum to graduate high school. In the years that follow, each family member must decide how to move forward from the traumas of the past.