The First World War brings an Austrian soldier to a Carpathian village. A young woman visits the secret society of the sleepless at night. A motorcyclist is convinced that he will die and miss the American moon landing. A woman watches a fishing boat set sail, never to return. Over four generations of the 20th century and across four national borders, Iris Wolff tells the story of how historical events shape the lives of individuals. Between freedom and conformity, chance and free will, her protagonists discover: There are things that belong to us, without us knowing where they come from. And there are decisions that matter, paths that are irreversible, even if we will never know what will remain from a life and the generations before it. Iris Wolff has written a poetic and uplifting book.