In 1904 Czarist Russia, four-year-old Max witnesses the rape and murder of his mother by Russian soldiers. After the boy’s father extracts terrible revenge, father and son escape to New York, a teeming melting pot of immigrants. Max meets a young Polish girl, Sophie, who grows into a stunningly beautiful young woman. The two fall in love but their plans are shattered when Sophie is forced to marry a local crime boss and, once again, Max must watch as the most important person in his life is taken from him. 

Kenneth Bromberg grew up in the beach cities of Southern California with a passion for tennis, American history, and literature. He attended the University of California, Los Angeles, after which he worked for several years as a bartender. He eventually returned to UCLA to pursue an MBA and become a certified public accountant.