In the pages of this epic novel, the secrets that built the "American dream" in the 20th century are hidden. Descendants of Mexicans, Italians, Poles, Germans, Norwegians, Irish, Basques, and French-Canadians try to survive in a racist society that forces them to abandon their identity, language, and traditions. The music of the accordion is the last thread that binds them to the past, the voice of their dreams, their pains, and their joys, the hidden language of their souls. Prou's writing, clever and full of humor, manages to give a unique tone to the history of immigration, one of the greatest issues of the modern world.