This novel is a narrative that serves as a bildungsroman. A young black boy growing up in the early twentieth century, Lanston finds himself observing his world with a keen interest. He learns with age that he is passionate about writing, and finds himself seeking solace in it.
Living a life of poverty, Lanston doesn't have a stable childhood. He moves from one place to the other. While he is in school, he finds himself immersed in books all the time. At the age of seventeen, he goes to live with his father. His father, however, doesn't pay any attention to him. Soon he finds himself spending time in Europe.
He soon returns home to pursue his education. He has published a couple of books, but he hasn't yet seen success. Later he starts working on a novel, and decides to focus completely on writing.
