The book is a collection of loosely related essays traveling back in time to people who enriched the author's early life, and traveling through space to Germany and China. The essays include: the story of a girl who grew up in Germany during World War II and the Russian occupation; memories of the author's father, a celebrated Lincoln author; stories of the author's two extraordinary aunts; memories of growing up next door to an adventuresome and imaginative girl; and finally the diary of the author kept during a teaching trip to China.