Traces the life of Dr. May Chinn, a woman who broke the barriers in the medical profession in th 1920's and became a leading specialist in cancer treatment. Chinn recounts rejection by her father and a lifelong effort at reconciliation, lost loves, and an unerring dedication to providing health care to the poor and dispossessed. She develops friendships with Harlem's luminaries, including Paul Robeson, Langston Hughes, and Zora Neale Hurston.
Born into poverty in the chaotic capital city of Nigeria, Elvis is tempted by the underworld and enters a life of crime, encountering beggers, musicians, and American pop culture as he tries to survive in postcolonial Nigeria.
