When the Diamonds Were Gone

A rare glimpse into what it was like for a Jewish refugee to come of age in America during World War II, this unique memoir focuses on the struggles of assimilation. After a grueling and dramatic escape from occupied Poland, eight-year-old Julian and his mother arrive penniless in America in 1941 with big plans. Julian's beautiful, former socialite mother Barbara wants to regain her former social status, while Julian just wants to fit his war-ravaged psyche into the American way of life. As Barbara climbs her social ladder, she succeeds in opening doors for herself but, in the process, slams shut the doors of opportunity for her son. Despite his mother, Julian forges ahead as he finds his own American dream.