"This sweeping story, set during the tumultuous final decades of the twentieth century, begins in 1973, when the Ericksons of Grenada, Iowa, gather for the wedding of their eldest daughter, Anita. Even as they celebrate, the fault lines in the family emerge. The bride just wants to raise a family in her hometown while her brother, Ryan, plans his escape. He is joined by their cousin Chip, an unpredictable, war-damaged loner who will show Ryan both the appeal and perils of freedom. Torrie, the youngest, is also intent on escape, but her choices will bring about a tragedy that changes the entire family forever. Stretching from the Iowa farmlands to suburban Chicago to contemporary Italy-- through the Vietnam War's aftermath, the farm crisis, the numerous economic booms and busts--this book follows the Erickson siblings as they confront prosperity and heartbreak, setbacks and triumphs."--Container insert.