In 1903 Alfred convinces his brother Martin to leave the safety of Sweden for thrilling experiences and alluring places in America. Alfred is faced with dramatic turmoil in Chicago's ethnic melting pot, he searches for gold in the Alaskan arctic and witnesses the murderous wild west coast. At the same time, Rosalie lives a much calmer and refined life as a housemaid in Connecticut. She has emigrated from a poor croft, close to where Alfred grew up, to become familiar with the environment around well-off families in New England. is a historical novel, based on true events and facts. The fates of these young emigrants, Alfred and Rosalie, whose lives eventually intersect, are portrayed in a century that was young and optimistic.