Rose Pastor, a Jewish refugee from Russia, was a desperately poor child who rolled cigars in a dingy factory. Uneducated but bright, she wrote poetry that caught the eye of the publisher of a Jewish community newspaper and was offered a job. She went on to become a female labor leader. Through her work she met the son of one of New York’s wealthiest families. Their romance, friends, and work make for a fascinating tale.

Ginger, Breakwater Books, Guilford