This book not only follows the life experiences of a young Cuban immigrant (Manuel), but it also illustrates the courage and selflessness of his parents. My mother made the decision to get my brother out of the country first, because Fidel Castro was recruiting young boys and drafting them into the service and brainwashing them. His father came over about 2 years later. He had built a prosperous real estate business and owned a restaurant in Havana, Cuba. His father lost everything when he left Cuba, because Castro confiscated all his properties and restaurant before he left Cuba. They even took his car. His father came to
Florida and actually picked tomatoes in order to help make living for him and his family. His mother worked at a factory making $25.00/week. Things changed for the better when the family decided to move to Boston, Massachusetts where the economy and education was much better. This was the beginning of a better life for Manuel and his family, but only through hard work.