Twelve linked, wryly humorous stories about an unforgettablecast of Russian-Jewish immigrants trying to assimilate in a newworld. Masha is just out of high school when her family arrives inSquirrel Hill, Pittsburgh. With touching lightheartedness andtremendous humor, these stories trace her struggles and those ofother Russians in the community to find their own place in the newsociety?seniors alienated from their children, spouses tryingto hold their families together while grappling with unemploymentand depression, young adults searching for love. In?Dancers? the home of a married couple is invaded by apair of hedonistic and financially unstable performers. The hero of?The Trajectory of Frying Pans? falls for a coworkerwho may or may not be trapped in a green-card marriage. In?About Kamyshinskiy? a man, living under the scrutinyof his daughters and neighbors, is trying to start over after thedeath of his wife. This is an impressive debut about the sometimespainful, sometimes hilarious collision of cultures, religions, andgenerations in contemporary America.