Promise of the Present and the Shadow of the Past

[Barbara] did not fi t the classic model of an immigrant who becomes acquaintedwith America through school or work, learns English, falls in love with andadopts Americas values, and is helped along in many cases by an Americanspouse. First of all, I was not an American. We became American together; ifanything, rather than lead, I lagged behind. More important, like me, she came[from Germany] to th...