It is 1957 as a man and his sons cast their fishing lines into the water. Twelve years ago while living in a dark post-war world, the man never would have guessed that he would be in Florida with money in his pockets, his two sons by his side, and a wife and daughter waiting for them in a rented cottage. After their Uncle Matthew spontaneously visits, their family history is slowly revealed as four characters confront war and plague as well as their own personal triumphs and tragedies. As their environment is fueled by the great technological advances of the era, their optimism for the future is eventually struck down by financial disaster, leaving only a few survivors. The cultural and economic issues of their day will be familiar: immigration, women's rights, economic policies, and racism. These internal conflicts would over shadow a valuable lesson. The world does not begin or end at the nation's shores.