The stories span from the end of the 19th century to the 1950s: having been part of the Ottoman Empire for centuries, Bosnia now belonged to the Federative People's Republic of Yugoslavia. Samokovlija sheds light on the tumultuous power dynamics, all of which share a common theme: the exclusion and persecution of Jews. Touching and full of empathy, he brings to life the Jewish enclave of Bosnia, which is predominantly made up of Sephardim. He describes the impoverished living conditions of his characters in a highly realistic manner, but his particular interest lies in their thoughts and feelings: Samokovlija immerses himself in their skin. The poor merchant Juso, the melancholic shoemaker Rafael Macoro, and the passionate gypsy Hanka appear before the reader as vividly as if on a stage, with all their longings and small joys wrested from the drudgery of everyday life.