The story of American Harrison William Shepherd, a man caught between two worlds -- Mexico and the United States in the 1930s, '40s, and '50s -- whose search for identity takes readers to the heart of the twentieth century's most tumultuous events. Growing up in 1930's Mexico, Shepherd quickly learns that his mother is more concerned with social aspirations than his well-being. Life is whatever he learns from housekeepers and one fateful day, by mixing plaster for famed Mexican muralist Diego Rivera, he discovers a passion for Aztec history and meets the exotic, imperious artist Frida Kahlo, who will become his lifelong friend. His mother's knack for selecting men who fall on the losing side of Mexico's political battles, leads Harrison to take a withdrawn approach to life. Later, forced to flee to Mexico, he ventures back to the U.S., which is in the midst of World War II. As political winds continue to toss him north and south Shepherd tells his remarkable story through a series of letters and diary entries.